68
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
There is not at this moment, I believe, one vessel in the harbour loading with coolies, but there are two Spanish and one English vessels which will shortly go to Namoa for that purpose; and there, I understand, coolies are to be obtained in abundance, and without any difficulty. At Namos, therefore, I have little doubt that this traffic will in future be carried on, unless the distrust and animosity of the people are excited by practices similar to those which were adopted at this port
Amoy still furnishes a few emigrants to Singapore and Sydney, to which places many would flock of their own accord, were they sure of obtaining a passage to the port for which they ship-the affluence of their countrymen who return hither from those places, and the favourable reports which they circulate, being a sufficient inducement for the poor labourer who can hardly earn a livelihood at home to try the change. A vessel has this day cleared for Singapore having, besides her cargo, a hundred such passengers
on board.
Hitherto, the collecting of coolies or emigrants, as they are termed, has been left entirely in the hands of brokers, who, their sole aim being to enrich themselves, have adopted means the most unscrupulous to that end. Their profits depending upon the numbers procured, they have not failed to do their utmost, by false promises and in other ways, which have at least afforded good foundation for many of the rumours on the subject, to secure as many as possible, and then appropriate to themselves, on the score of defraying expenses, the money, six dollars each, which is given to the coolies, as well as a further allowance of two dollars per head, given for the purpose of providing proper clothing, while the emigrants learn, perhaps, after the vessel is under weigh that Havannah or Demerara is their destination, instead of Singapore or Sydney, us they had been led to suppose.
There is little wonder, then, that mutiny and outrage has been the result; for, under such circumstances, even the most peaceable and forbearing will be excited to resistance and the endeavour to right their own wrongs; but it is to be hoped that the late example of the errors of the present system, aided by the suggestions of an experienced emigra tion agent, may tend to the establishment of a better, which shall be to the advantage of all parties concerned.
John Bowring, Esq.,
&c. &c.
I have, &c., (Signed)
J. BACK HOUSE
A TABLE showing the Amount of Coolie Immigration from the Port of Amoy, between October 12 and December 31, 1852.
SIB
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, January 18, 1853.
69
I HAVE received your Despatch, No. 3, dated 11th instant, on the subject of coolie emigration, and am glad to find that there is a restoration of the public tranquillity, and a prospect that the abuses which have been associated with the collection and shipment of emigrants at Amoy will be checked for the future.
You will continue to convey to the Superintendency such information as you can collect on this subject. Her Majesty's Government will be duly informed of what is taking place. I observe that the emigrant vessels are now proceeding to Namoa. You are aware, no doubt, that Namoa is a port at which Her Majesty's subjects are prohibited from trading, both by treaty and Her Majesty's Order in Council of 24th February 1843, of which I enclose you a copy. You will take especial care, therefore, in no way to sanction or to promise protection to any proceedings of an illegal character; and though, until instructions are received from home, I do not deem it necessary to request your official interference in order to prevent the shipment of coolies from interdicted and illegal ports, you will take care to avoid any steps which may serve to encourage the very questionable proceedings with which the subjects of Her Majesty have been concerned in
I have, &c., (Signed)
this matter.
John Backhouse, Esq.,
&c.
SIR,
&c.
No. 23.
JOHN BOWRINO.
COPY of a LETTER from H. U. ADDINGTON Esq. to HI. MERIVALE Esq. Foreign Office, April 7, 1853. WITH reference to Lord Wodehouse's Letter of the 31st ultimo, I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to transmit to you, for the information of the Duke of Newcastle, copies of a further Despatch and its enclosure, received from Dr. Bowring, on the subject of coolie emigration from China. Herman Merivale, Esq.,
&c.
&c.
I am, &c.,
(Signed)
H. U. ADDINGTON.
No. 23.
↑
Encl. in No. 23.
Vessel's name.
Ton- nage
Consignees.
No. of superficial feet.
No, of coolies.
for each
man.
Space Quantity
of
water.
* Rice.
Beef, fish, or pork, alternately.
Where bound,
Average length of |passage. | departure,
Date of
ft. in.
Gallons.
Each man per diem.
Fach man per diem.
Days.
Gertrude
Blenheim
605 Syme, Muir, & Co.
3,605
350 10 30
49,000
14 lbs.
4 lb.
Ilavanna
137
Oct. 12
808 Tait & Co.
-
4,721
442 10 68
45,000
13.
+
Havanna
•
►
23
"
Samuel Boddington 669
Tait & Co.
4,144
352 11 76
40,000
•
Demerara
Nov. 2+
Hoyal Baxon
·
510 R. Jackson
3,136
330 9 50
24,000
Lady Ambers
446 Syme, Muir, & Co.
3,080
275 11 20 38,000
1.
13
*
H
Sydney -
Havanna
60
25
"
137
248
• The above vessels have further been sufficiently supplied with stores of every description, such as potatoes, sugar, oil, tobacco,
tes, sulphur, vinegar, &c., &c.
29
The under-mentioned Vessels have proceeded during the above.period to Namoa, for the
purpose of shipping Coolies at that Port.
Vessel's name.
Tonnage Consignees.
Where hound.
Date of departure.
Inchinnan
565
Tait and Co. -
Eleanor Lancaster
480
Tait and Co
Namoa
Namoa
November 12
19.
Australia
1,170
Tait and Co.
Namoa
December 6.
Sir Thomas Gresham
593
Tait and Co.
་
Namoa
20.
(Signed)
J. BACKHOUSE, Vice-Consul in charge.
MY LORD,
Enclosure in No. 23.
Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, February 7, 1853. REFERRING to my Despatch No. 8, of the 14th ultino, on the subject of coolie emigration from China, in which I called your Lordship's attention to the position of British ships and British subjects carrying on this trade from ports and places where trade is interdicted, by Her Majesty's Orders in Council and by treaties with the Chinese Government, I beg to enclose a copy of a Despatch, dated the 3d instant, from Mr. Offici- ating Consul Backhouse, as exhibiting some new questions and embarrassments growing out of the existing state of things; and though the settlement of the misunderstanding between the captain and the crew of the "Medina," to which the Despatch refers, was perhaps on the whole as satisfactory as could have been anticipated, there can be no doubt that very many difficulties will continue to present themselves in connexion with the emigration of hired labourers from China.
I understand the coolie trade is stopped at Amoy. The interference of the mandarins, the state of public opinion, the difficulty of finding emigrants,-all growing out of the abuses to which I have so often referred,—have, for the present, put an end to the export of coolies; but Namon and its neighbourhood is become the point of collection and shipment, and Mr. Tait, the principal shipper, has, I understand, directed the removal to Namoa of his receiving-ship the " Emigrant," of 599 tons burthen, employed for the reception and safe keeping of coolics intended for exportation. I beg to repeat that Mr. Tait, a British subject, is Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese consul at Amoy.
The United States commodore informs me that he has directed the United States flag to be removed from the house of Syme, Muir, and Co. of Amoy, in consequence of their having been engaged in coolie shipments, a gentleman connected with their house being the acting United States consul there.
I observe that the Clarendon," of whose satisfactory state a report was made to me, both by the emigration agent and the acting consul at Canton, and which left Whampoa for Trinidad on the 30th December, put into Singapore on the 12th of January for a supply of wood and water.
Mr. Jackson is now here. who provided the "Spartan" with coolies for Australia
1 3
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