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EMIGRATION FROM CHINA TO THE WEST INDIES.
7. There are two traits in the character of the Chinese which will make them valuable labourers in the present state of the West Indies. In the first place, they are fond of money, and so devoted to the acquisition of it, that, being never satisfied with what they possess, they will continue the pursuit of gain to the very last; and in the second place, they are extremely shrewd and intelli- gent, keenly alive to their own interests, and will soon perceive the advantage to be derived from cultivating land on their own account, either under lease, or for an interest in the produce or net proceeds from the soil. In fact, they have sufficient intelligence and ambition to rise in the world, and in a short time would become useful and valuable as a middle class in the West Indies.
8. Effective agricultural labourers may be obtained here, and in the adjoining province of Fokien, under agreement of five years service, without any stipula tion as to return passage, at the rate of 54 monthly wages, food and lodging being found by the importers. I believe it is a matter of little moment, what contract may be entered into here. The custom of monthly wages, except for domestic service, is foreign to the habits and feelings of the Chinese. It may be necessary, for the first few months after their arrival in the West Indies, to pay them a fixed rate of monthly wages; but I have no doubt that as soon as they know something of the nature of the work required from them, and are satisfied with the climate and with their position, that they will gladly exchange the payment of monthly wages for a system of task-work. The latter gives a stimulus to industry, whereas the former tends rather to check it; and the Chinese are so fond of money, and so eager to realize gain by any amount of exertion, that they will not hesitate to adopt whatever system they find most conducive to their interests. In Penang, or rather in the province Wellesley, where the cultivation of sugar is carried on principally, if not almost entirely, by Chinese, the system of monthly wages was tried, and persevered in for some time, without success. The other system, of giving the Chinese an interest in the cultivation, either by a share of the produce, or by a pecuniary consideration proportionate to the return, has been adopted instead, and has been followed by and favourable results. In Singapore, the Chinese are in possession of money land. They are clearing the forests and establishing spice plantations, and by their industry and perseverance have obtained a monopoly of nearly all the profitable secondary occupations of the colony.
9. From the above it will be evident that the Chinese, in my estimation, possess all the elements necessary to constitute useful labourers and good colo- nists in the West Indies. They possess strength, industry, and intelligence, and are so eager after gain, that they will continue to work on as long as it is possible to earn anything by persevering exertion. But there is one great difficulty in the way of a successful emigration, and permanent colonization of the West Indies by means of Chinese, and that is the impossibility of obtaining women and families. Extensive emigration has been going on for many years, to almost every island in the Indian Archipelago, to Manilla, to Borneo, to Java (where there are several hundred thousand), to Singapore, Malacca, and other places; but in every case the emigration has been of men alone, and there is hardly one solitary instance of the emigration of women or families. In all these cases, the Chinese have formed connexions and intermarried with the Malay or other women of the country where they have settled, and the want of female emigra- tion has consequently not been felt. In Singapore I saw numbers of children, the offspring of Chinese and of Malay women whom they had obtained by purchase. This offspring will, from the pressure of Chinese immigration, become inore and more assimilated to the Chinese race, and I believe that in course of time the Malays will necessarily succumb to the superior energy of the Chinese, and will ultimately disappear from the soil, whenever the two races are brought into immediate contact.
10. In all the islands and countries where the Chinese have hitherto settled as emigrants, they have found branches of the Malay family and races cognate to their own. This would not be the case in the West Indies, and I have very great doubts whether they would form connexions of a permanent cha- racter with the negro women, so as to become contented and resident colonists. If this difficulty can be got over, I have no doubt as to the successful result of Chinese emigration on the future destinies of the West India colonies.
EMIGRATION FROM CHINA TO THE WEST INDIES.
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11. I have made inquiry as to the reasons which prevent the emigration of women and families, and I have had the opportunity of conversing with intelli- gent Chinese on the subject. One or two gentlemen, whose opinions are entitled to consideration, think that women and families may be obtained if proper steps are taken, and that the only reason why they have not emigrated hitherto has been the absolute want of means to pay the expenses of the voyage. They state that in all the countries in which the Chinese have been sought as labourers, the emigration of women and families has not hitherto been made an object, but that if a free passage were offered there is every pro- bability that they would avail themselves of it, to rejoin their friends and relations. This opinion is, however, greatly overborne by the opinion of other parties, who think that there are reasons in the peculiar state of Chinese society to operate as a bar against the emigration of women. Domestic female slavery is universal throughout China, and girls are purchased at prices varying from ten to sixty dollars, or even upwards, according to their age and supposed intel ligence; and they think that the poor people will, as a matter of course, sell their girls to families where they will be well taken care of, rather than allow them to leave the country, by which they can derive no practical benefit. If, therefore, it be an object to obtain women and families a bonus must be given for them, and that by this means alone can the difficulty be overcome, I
may add that here, in Macao, female domestic slavery is very common among the`, Portuguese families, and that nearly all the female servants and ayahıs have been obtained by purchase as children.
12. If the colonies of British Guiana and Trinidad shall decide upon giving a trial to the emigration of Chinese from this quarter, various courses are open for the attainment of this object.
First. There are several houses here of high character and established repute, who would probably undertake to send effective agricultural labourers to the West Indies, receiving a certain fixed sum per head for every emigrant landed. With reference to this, I enclose two letters, one from Syme Muir and Co., and the other from J. D. Muir of the same firm, and I believe the only partner now in China. These letters are the result of a correspondence I have had with Messrs. Syme Muir and Co. I am also at present in communication with Messrs. Dent and Co., and with Messrs. Russell and Co., upon the same subject, and I shall be able to communicate the result by next mail. I consider that a point of some importance will be gained if Messrs. Dent and Co. Ander- take the operation. They have been so long established in China, are so well known and so highly respected by the Chinese, that any under- taking in which they are interested will be viewed favourably by the Chinese, while their high standing will be a guarantee to the Chinese emigrants that they will receive just and fair treatment in the country to which they are emigrating.
Secondly. There are various parties who have been engaged in the ship- ment of Chinese to Manilla and to Peru and other places, who would undertake to procure emigrants, and to ship them on board, with clothing, food, water, and all necessaries for the voyage (the colony taking the risk of the varying rates of freight). Or, they would procure a certain complement of emigrants within a given time, leaving the supplies as well as the freight to be arranged for by the colony. On this subject I have received two memorandums, copies of which are enclosed.
Thirdly. The establishment of a bounty paid in the colony upon all effec- tive agricultural labourers, without reference to the party by whom they may have been sent forward from China. This bounty ought not to exceed 187. sterling, which is the amount fixed by Syme Muir and Co. as the sum for which they will undertake to land emigrants in the West Indies. If a proclamation shall be issued on this subject, it will be necessary to define the ports; and for the present, I would confine them to Namoa and Amoy, both in the Fokien province, and perhaps also the port of Canton and the harbour of Macao. Good labourers may, no doubt, be obtained from this quarter (Canton and Macao), but as far as my infor-
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