It strikes the homever that this is a matter worthy of consideration, but would appear to be a question whether cookies according to the usual contracts for $4 a month, food & clothing provided for them by the employer, are just better off than Chinese migrants with 7 Mexican dollars per month (=$9 - 2 1/2 Peruvian reals) with the obligation of finding their own maintenance.
A coolie can hardly nourish himself sufficiently, at a less cost than 1 real Peruvian, a day = $5.5 or $5.5, so that out of the $9. 2 1/2 there would remain for his clothing $4. — but according to the usual contracts (vide contracts C 413) the Chinaman, as I said before, gets clothing & food from his employee and $4 wages per month.
In the course of 3 years there would be a perceptible difference in what a coolie under one or the other contract would earn.
However, as I have had no instructions regarding the alteration of contracts, but merely to report how those of the coolies of the "Frederic" are observed, I do not perceive well how I can interfere, and therefore I beg to be honoured with Your Lordship's instructions on the subject.
Although on some estates coolies have been fairly dealt with & cared for, yet INDEX