32
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
Query.In the same event, is it likely that emigrants woull take with them their families and settle altogether out of China, or would they go alone, with a view of returning?
Reply-Chinese women never emigrate. There is not a China woman in the Straits' settlements, nor an honest one in Hong Kong. The emigrants would, I presume, cohabit with or marry the native females in the West Indies, as they do in the Straits, and educate their children according to Chinese usages. The strong affection which the Chinese have for their own country induces them to save all their earnings and return home.
Query 8.-What would be the expense, at present rates, of shipping male adult emigrants for the West Indies, viâ Cape Horn, per man?
Reply. A fair remuneration for a ship would be 101. per man, besides the expense of fitting and food, which would probably amount to about 27. 108. to 31. more. The vessel would of course proceed viâ the Cape of Good Hope, and not round the Horn.
Query 9.-Would emigrants going out enter into contracts pledging themselves to work at certain rates for the same parties; or, in your judgment, would it be more desirable to leave them wholly free and unfettered?
Reply-Chinese emigrants will go under transferable indentures; but the Government should interfere, and see that the terms of these are similar; and none should be sent free and unfettered, for a Chinese getting four dollars a month will not work with another receiving six dollars. The emigrants now shipping at Amoy for the West Indies, do so on contracts very favourable to themselves; viz. four dollars a month, good lodgings, und A suflicient supply of wholesome food, besides medical attendance. The indentures are transferable. A copy is appended.
Query 10-What would be the average time required for a passage from Canton to the West Indies?
Reply. The passage from Canton to the West Indies would occupy from 90 to 100 days by ordinary sailing ships, viâ the Cape of Good Hope.
Query 11.-State generally any facts hearing on the question of Chinese emigration to the West Indies which may occur to you as important, and which are not mentioned in the preceding queries ?
Reply. A ship coming to China for emigrants need bring neither water casks nor other fittings, for everything can be procured here much cheaper and better than elsewhere Considerable emigration is now going on at Amoy for the West Indies; 8,000 men are shipping for Havannab, and 2,000 for Demerara; a great many have already sailed. Emigration should take place from November to the 1st March; firstly, to secure the favourable monsoon; and, secondly, because the harvest time is then over, and consequently emigrants are more easily procured. The provisions of the Passenger Act should be most stringently enforced, and the same protection extended to Chinese emigrants going to the West Indies as is afforded to the Irish going to New York; otherwise we shall soon find vessels sailing utterly regardless of any consideration, except the amount of freight money they may make from the mass of human beings huddled and crowded together like slaves. Vast numbers of emigrants arrived in California last year in a shocking state of filth and loathsome disease; the ships being insufficiently provided with provisions and necessaries, and no care or attention whatever paid to the wants or requirements of the passengers, who were fed upon badly-cured fish, which soon became putrid, and Whampoa water. Many of the ships, however, which sailed from Hong Kong were fitted out at much expense, and supplied with good and wholesome provisions; and such of the emigrants as had the fortune to embark in these vessels were landed at California in health. No British ship should be permitted to leave a port in China unless she obtain from the Consul a certificate that the number of passengers embarked is not greater than the law permits, and also that she is well and sufficiently furnished with provisions, wood, and water, and is in all respects competent to undertake the voyage.
I have, &c., (Signed) ADAM W. ELMSLIE,
His Excellency Jolin Bowring, Esq., LL.D.
Sc
&c.
&c.
H. M. Of. Consul
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
33
medicines, two suits of clothes, one blanket, and one flannel shirt annually, it being agreed that in case of sickness, should it exceed fifteen days, my salary will be suspended until I return to work, continuing in the meanwhile to receive medicines and medical atten- dance; or in place of all the foregoing, that I shall receive find myself in all provisions and other necessaries, fulfilling these obligations for five per month, and years continuous, which are fixed for the term of this engagement, during which it shall not be permitted me to leave the colony, nor deny my services to the persons to whom this engagement may be transferred; at the end of that period, I shall be at liberty to act as may seem to me best. My passage and maintenance on board of said vessel shall be on account of Messrs. from whom I confess having received by Messrs. the sum of
dollars in silver for my outfit for suid voyage, und also two suits of new clothes with which to land, amounting to
on condition that both dollars, I shall pay in Demerara to the order of Messrs.
Auins
by one dollar monthly, which shall be deducted from my salary by the honourable the Immigration Agent, or the persons to whom this engagement may be transferred; it being understood that on no other plea whatever shall anything be deducted from my wages; and in faith of fulfilling punctually this said obligation, I signed in this the
day of
18 It is understood that the salary agreed shall commence to run from within twenty-four hours after landing at Demerara, unless both parties agree to cancel this agreement after arrival there.
NOTE.
THE emigration of Chinese from the port of Amoy is of two kinds, which may be termed native and foreign contract emigration. The former is partly voluntary, as when the parties leave to join prosperous friends who have established themselves as cultivators or artizans in the countries of the Malayan Archipelago. It is partly conducted by contract; supercargoes of Chinese origin, settled abroad, arrange with the proprietors of estates to bring a certain number of labourers on their return voyage, and publish in their own family and neighbouring villages their readiness to provide passages for a certain number of hands. The agreement usually is, that in consideration of a free passage, the supercargo shall have the right to dispose of the services of the emigrant for a year. This of course brings him a good profit on the amount expended for the passage, which varies from 8 to 16 dollars, according as the voyage is to Singapore, Penang, or Batavia. The right for one year to the services of boys arriving from China can be purchased by Europeans in the Straits at a very small advance on the rates of passage
money.
This system is, I believe, coeval with emigration from Fo-kien, and its existence must have much facilitated the commencement of the emigration which has taken place under contracts with foreigners. The first shipment of coolies under contracts with foreigner were made from Amoy, in French vessels, to the Isle of Bourbon.
French supercargoes had been previously in the habit of engaging Chinamen in the Straits for that colony; when, in 1845, a clever speculator thought he could obtain the labour wanted at lower rates in the country of the emigrants, and accordingly, in 1845 and 1846, procured two separate shipments.
The total number of emigrants who have been induced to leave Amoy under foreign contracts, I estimate at 6,255 souls, who have been distributed as follows:-to Havannah, 990; to Demerara, 469; to Isle Bourbon, 380; to Australia, 2,666; to Sandwich Islands, 380; to Batanhas, in the Philippine group, 600; to California, probably for Peru, 350; to Peru, 420. The tonnage employed has been 10,756 tons, and is thus classified:
7,836 under English colours have given passage to 3,946 emigrants, in the following
subdivisions:-
1,120 tons have conveyed 740 men to Ilavannah.
961 tons
469 men to Demerara,
I
COPY OF INDENTURE. native of the village of
in the province of in China, of the age of
years, have agreed to embark in the vessel with the object of proceeding to the colony of British Guiana, obliging myself from and after my arrival, to dedicate myself there to the orders of the honourable the Immigration Agent of that colony, to whatever class of labour I may be destined, whether in plantations or other estates, during the customary hours of work in that colony, or even at other than plantation labour, as may be most convenient to the honourable the Immigration Agent, or whoever may become the holder of this engagement, and to perform said work for
of salary monthly, maintenance of eight ounces of beef, one and a half pound's of other alimentary food daily medical assistance and
4,835 tons
920 tons
2,666 men to Australia.
380 men to the Sandwich Islands.
1,250 Spanish tons have conveyed 350 men:-
350 tons
900 tons, steam
250 men to Havannah.
600 men to Bataulas.
540 French tons have taken 380 men to Bourbon.
350 men to San Francisco. 420 men to Peru.
The annual distribution of the emigration is expressed as follows :—
530 American tons
600 Peruvian tons
1845
1846
1848
1849
180
200
120 280
1,000
2,066
1850
1851
1852, 8 months
1,739
It is one of the pleasant fictions of the Chinese Government that no chill of the great Emperor can withdraw himself from the paternal rule; and that to leave his domiuions
E
·│ ? ཟ། །「 །「 །
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
سلمينيا
Reference :-
C.O. 885
1
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Page 350Page 351