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THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1868.
We are the more at liberty to discuss this matter, as in the cases we refer to COOLIE EMIGRATION, there does not seem to have been any THE recent proceedings before the Magis- would be immediately released by the question that an unwilling emigrant trates in connection with the coolie ship Foreign agent and officers. There has Maria Theresa have afforded an illustra been no particular fraud, or brutality, to tion of some remarks we recently made
excite indignation, and the point at issue on the subject of emigration from this is in our estimation the employment hay be looked at calmly. That point colony. Two cases have been brought of independent Chinese agents. to public knowledge in which the causes, by thus dispensing with them, and we may be asked what would be gained reply-a positive assurance that the intending emigrant had stated before his wish to emigrate and hiscomprehension embarkation, to a respectable European, of the terms offered :-precisely, in fact,
It
imply that there are no honest natives, but that in a majority of cases tempta- tions to dishonesty will sooner prevail things which we terun, and recognize as, with Chinese than English, because many dishonest are not so considered in China.
or agents of, reputed misdemeanours have been the Chinese middlemon against whose employment we so constantly pro- test. In the first case (which is still under remand) a Chinese interpreter was the system upou the abuse of which we charged with having, in conjunction with some months since commented so severe- a native coolie-broker, seduced two men certificates granted by the European ly. Bat care should be taken that the on board the Maria Theresa and illegally selected could, by no detained them. It was shewn in evid- native hands. And in this speaking of possibility, get into ence that the detained coolies could not
natives we do not of course mean to read, and that no thorough explanation of the contents of the document handed to them to ensure their reception by the chief officer was ever given by the coolie-broker or middleman who induced them to go on board.
In the second and more re- cent case, disposed of yesterday, several coolies were punished for beating and maltreating two Chinese, one of whom was an "agent" and the other clerk to the native firm concerned in the embar Iration of the emigrants. In neither case does it appear that any blame attaches to the company or its foreign agent. No "man-stealing" has been authorized by it, and the terms of engagement which had been most liberally extended to in- clude a return passage, or equivalent bonus, at the termination of service, are as favourable to the coolies as the most exacting can require. Yet in both cases a row arises in connection with the na- tives concerned in procuring emigrants-
We are convinced that nothing will which agents we may observe are injudi- but the adoption of the system we pro- meet the necessities of coolic emigration ciously paid by the head." there must be a weak point in the organ- emigration on a purely official footing. Surely posed in a recent article-that of placing ization of the company when we find Some progress towards this end has been that even under its not illiberal ar- made at Canton and Swatow, but Hong- rangements, aided by the experience and kong wants also a Commissioner of Emi- sense of justice of our own Harbour Mas gration whose employés, foreign or native, ter and the Dutch Consul, the old sore which has been the besetting evil of al- and whose acquaintance with the people should be well salaried at a fixed rate, most all systems of emigration as yet and their language should be sufficient to pursued in China breaks out, and the China middleman is pitched upon as the sible malpractices of native employés.
form an important check upon the pos- blameable party!
But assuming (for argument's sakej that a native agent may individually act considered. The employment of more honestly, there is another point yet to be than one agent immediately gives rise to competition, and the moment that com ventionally termed, either work into fences the " crimps," as they are con- each other's hauds and sell their coolies to the agent who pays bet, or ri- excitement and desire to get coolies; the valry among the crimps leads to undue next thing is that the agents' prices go up in consequence of competition, and the crimp's profits increase, and so does his avidity to get coolies somehow or other, and an excitement like that of gambling arises in the minds of all who are pecu- niarily concerned when this sort of couù- petition begins.
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