No. 29.
74
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
may submit such suggestions as may occur to them in reference to the con- tinuance of the emigration next season.
Herman Merivale, Esq.,
&c.
&c.
I have, &c.,
(Signed)
H. U. ADDINGTON.
No. 29.
Cory of a LETTER from the COLONIAL LAND AND EMIGRATION COM- MISSIONERS TO HERMAN MERIVALE Esq.
Colonial Land and Emigration Office, February 18, 1853.
SIR,
1. We beg to acknowledge your Letter of the 29th ultimo, enclosing a Letter from the Foreign Office, with a Despatch addressed by Dr. Bowring to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, respecting emigration from China.
(4
2. This letter states, on the authority of Commander Fishbourne of the Hermes," that the accommodation of the emigrants at Amoy while in depôt, previous to embarkation, was very bad; that some appeared not to be free agents, but escaped when they could; that others who refused to embark were allowed to leave, and that others objected to the treatment, but considered it better than starvation in their own country.
3. It is evidently probable that the crimps and others employed in the various emigrations to Cuba, Peru, California, Australia, and the West Indies, have been guilty of malpractices; but we fear that the British Government would find it very difficult to prescribe the treatment which Chinese (apparently paupers) should receive before embarkation, except in cases where the emigra- tion was carried on, directly or indirectly, by Government funds.
4. Nor are the statements of Commander Fishbourne sufficient alone to justify any decisive interference in the matter. Part of them seem to be explicable by the circumstance that the Chinese insist on an advance of some dollars from the contractor with whom they engage. They are, therefore, of course under an inducement to escape from him if they can, and obtain a second bounty from a second person. We shall, however, request Mr. White, who in conducting West Indian emigration will necessarily be brought into contact with emigrants to other countries, to furnish us with the best information he can collect on this subject.
5. With regard to the general repression of malpractices in British ships, we have little to add to the suggestions contained in our Report of the 7th ultimo. Something would, of course, be gained, even in regard to emigration between China and foreign countries, if regulations were established by or under authority of an Act of Parliament, as in that case the penalties of disobedience might be enforceable against the ship if she returned to this country; but the greatest difficulty would exist in procuring a conviction under such an Act, unless a very wide departure from the ordinary rules of evidence were authorized by it; and it appears to us that a case is scarcely yet made out for such an exceptional procedure. If the case were sufficiently grave to justify the employ- ment of Government cruisers in watching this traffic, it would, of course, be far easier to give effect to any law which might be passed on the subject; but this, we presume, would scarcely be contemplated.
6. Dr. Bowring adds that he is informed that 1000 emigrants/are to be shipped at Namoa for Demerara; that an unusual number of them are boys, whose parents have claimed them in vain, and that very many have escaped on their way to the emigrant ships.
7. It will, perhaps, be remembered that Mr. White has expressed his hope that he should obtain emigrants at Namoa; and by the subjoined list of ships recently despatched from China on the part of Messrs. Hyde, Hodge, and Co., it will be seen that the "Australia took 445 coolies (represented to us by We should confidently anticipate Mr. Hodge as being all adults) to Trinidad.
that the report which had reached Dr. Bowring would prove unfounded, "but we shall transmit a copy of his Despatch to Mr. White for such explanation as he may be able to offer on the subject.
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
75
8. We would suggest that copies should also be sent to the Governors of Jamaica, British Guiana, and Trinidad, in order that they may examine into the allegations contained in the last paragraph; but we do not think that the colony could properly be required to send back any Chinese who stated himself to have been sedûced or kidnapped, nor, we think, would it be safe on such evi- dence (even could it be legally done) to refuse the usual bounty to the importers. On this point, however, the colonial authorities will be best able to judge.
9. We learn that the "Glentanner" has arrived at Demerara with Chinese emigrants. We presume that the next mail will bring the Official Report of her condition on arrival, and the state of the immigrants.
10. Besides that ship, the follownig vessels of Messrs. Hyde, Hodge, and Co. are stated to us by these gentlemen to have left China for the West Indies with emigrants:
-
Ship.
Samuel Boddington Australia Clarendon
Number of emigrants.
Date of departure. Port of departure.
Destination,
November 24, 1852 | Amoy |December 14, 1852 Namos
December 26, 1852 Whampoa
·
Demerara 308 adults, 44 boys. Trinidad
-
Trinidad
445
257
Herman Merivale, Esq.,
&c.
&c.
SIR,
We have, &c. (Signed)
T. W. C. MURDOCH. FREDERIC ROGERS.
No. 30.
Copy of a LETTER from the COLONIAL LAND AND EMIGRATION COM- MISSIONERS TO HERMAN MERIVALE Esq.
Colonial Land and Emigration Office,
February 24, 1858.
No. 30.
WE beg to enclose copies of two letters respecting emigration from No.3, Dec.26,1852. China to British Guiana and Trinidad, which we have received from Mr. White, No.4, Dec.26, 1852. the agent for conducting that emigration.
2. It appears from these letters, that on Mr. White's arrival at Amoy he found ten ships waiting for emigrants, six for Cuba, three for Australia, and one for Demerara; and he found, as might perhaps have been expected, that those emigrations being carried on upon bounty were conducted simply as commercial operations, with many irregularities and abuses. Mr. White, however, had no official connexion with any but the West India emigration; and it will be observed, that even in regard of these colonies he had not, up to the date of his letters now transmitted, received the instructions which contained his appoint- ment. They were, as we have before now mentioned, detained after his de- parture for the consideration of the Foreign Office. He was, however, known by those concerned in the West India emigration to be acting with the sanction of Government, and was allowed, therefore, to exercise a certain influence on that part of the emigration. He gives the following analysis of the emigration to the West Indies:-
Lord Elgin
Glentanner
Date of sailing.
Number embarked.
Name of ship.
BRITISHI GUIANA.
July 23, 1852 September 1, 1852 November 23, 1852
155
305
308 men, 22 boys.
'TRINIDAD.
December 17, 1852 Ready to sail.
Samuel Boddington
Australia
Clarendon
450
Of these ships the two first had sailed before Mr. White's arrival from Amoy.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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