No. 7.
Nos. 8 and 9.
Nos, 10 and 11.
136
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
starting under favourable auspices, will reach her destination without the occurrence of any untoward events. There are two Chinese surgeons on board. I had arranged that one should go; but as another one offered his services afterwards who had some slight knowledge of English, and as no interpreters could be procured at Namoa, and those I expected from Penang had not arrived, Messrs. Tait and Co. engaged the second surgeon, in the double capacity of interpreter and surgeon. I have since written to them sanction- ing the arrangement:
3. Owing to the high rates of freight prevailing to California, and also partially to Australia, and to the reluctance, and even in some cases, the positive refusal of captains and crews to engage in the emigration service, in consequence of the occurrence of so many disasters, it has been found impossible to obtain vessels to complete the emigration to Demerara. After several fruitless efforts, Messrs. Turner and Co. succeeded at last in obtaining the Emigrant." This vessel could not be got ready before the 31st March, and therefore, Messrs. Turner and Co., or their principals, Hyde, Hodge, and Co., would not be entitled to a higher bounty than 80 dollars for every emigrant landed. And as it became a question whether this vessel should be taken up or not, unless they got the full bounty, I decided to take the responsibility of assuring them that in this case the full bounty would be paid. The annexed copy of my letter to Messrs. Turner und Co. will explain the matter; and I trust that under the circumstances, the Commissioners will consider me justified in what I have done.
4. The "Emigrant" took out emigrants to Australia, and is in every way well-found and well-qualified for the service, and has on board a European surgeon. I enclose certificate of seaworthiness, and also certificate of measurement as to the number of pas- sengers she can legally carry. I went up to Canton last month to runke the necessary arrangements in regard to this vessel; and was anxious that she should have taken her emigrants from Hong Kong, but as Messrs. Turner and Co. (being in daily expectation of procuring vessels), had made previous arrangements for securing emigrants from Whampoa, and as the people were only waiting for an opportunity, I did not like to Great care has been disappoint them or neutralize engagements partially contracted.
taken to procure only people from the country villages; and to secure this object respec- table Chinese have been bound under a penalty that the men are from country villages known to them. I question if emigration from China will ever be carried on without the intervention of brokers, at least for some time, and until the system is well established at one point and generally known. The employment of such agents is entirely consonant to Chinese ideas, and pervades every transaction of life. (Even marriages are concluded and arranged by this means) And they are at present necessary in order to diffuse information throughout the villages, and bring people to the port of embarkation, where they will have the opportunity of making inquiries, and satisfying themselves as to the advantages of emigration.
5. Two interpreters are engaged to go by the " Emigrant." The one, Ho A. Sing, for Demerara, the other, Ong Soon Seng, for Trinidad. The latter arrived too late for the "Lady Flora Hastings," and will therefore have to be sent forward from Demerara. Annexed are the terms of their engagement and contracts. The former writes and speaks English, speaks the colloquial dialect of the Canton provinces, and is well versed in Chinese writing. The latter writes and speaks English with ease and fluency, and speaks the colloquial dialect of the Folkien province, but does not understand Chinese writing. Ho A. Sing's terms may appear high, but I could not obtain his services for less; and I am indebted to Dr. Legge, of the London Missionary Society, without whose assistance I could not have obtained them at all. His knowledge of the Chinese writing will be useful, as by means of it he can communicate with the emigrants in Demerara from the Fohkien provinces, an advantage not possessed by Ong Soon Seng in reference to other emigrants in Trinidad than those from the Folkien provinces. The Chinese written character being the same throughout all the provinces of the empire, a knowledge of it enables persons to communicate whose spoken dialects would be perfectly unintelligible to each other. Dr. Legge gives a very high character of Ho A. Sing, and Mr. Blundell, Governor of the Straits Settlements, has also written to me a very favourable one of Ong Soon Seng. The latter appears to me very shrewd and intelligent, and I Have no doubt will do credit to his appointment. Another interpreter, whom I have engaged in Canton through the intervention of one of the American missionaries, has declined to go, and returned the advance he had received; and another still refuses to go under 100 dollars a month; so that there is considerable difficulty at present in obtaining the requisite number of inter- preters, a lifficulty that will continue until emigration be fairly established, and it becomes worth the while for respectable Chinese to send their sons out of the country, in the confidence that they will be well treated and benefit by the change.
6. When engaged in making arrangements for the "Martin Luther," I requested Messrs. Turner and Co. to procure the necessary clothing in Canton, where it can be got better and cheaper than in Hong Kong, 500 sets would be necessary for the "Martin Luther;" and having at the time no doubt that another vessel would be obtained to follow the "Martin Luther," I ordered 500 more sets of clothing, making in all 1,000. The "Martin Luther" having failed to arrive, and it having been found impossible to procure vessels for the emigration service, this clothing is still on hand. Messrs. Turner and Co. purchased a large quantity at the same time, and having this stock still on hand,
J
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
137
are unwilling to increase it by taking over what was purchased by them on my account I have been much at a loss what to do with it; but considering that it cannot be required now until next season, that rent und insurance will add considerably to the cost, and that it will probably suffer by the long storage, and be injured by the rats which swarm in Canton, I have decided upon sending it by the "Emigrant," the one half for Demerara, and the other half for Trinidad The portion for Trinidad will have to be transhipped, unless the authorities in Demerara decide upon keeping it for the use of the colony. None of the clothing would have been ordered if I had not been in daily expectation of the Martin Luther;" and I hope that under these circumstances the Commissioners will approve of the step I have taken.
4
7. I shall leave this by the next steamer, on the 11th instant. My remaining longer could be productive of no good; for under present circumstances, while the press is teeming with disasters that have occurred to emigrant ships (and unfortunately the Lord Elgin, arrived at the Cape, has to be added to the list), it would be highly imprudent and impolitic to despatch any vessels against the south-west monsoon. I feel that I have stretched to the last point my desire to promote emigration to the West Indies, in sanctioning the full bounty to the "Emigrant" as an inducement to Messrs Turner and Co; and I would not have done this if the vessel had not been specially fitted and arranged for the emigration service.
8. The experience of this season has fully confirmed my former views, as to the disal- vantage, if not danger, of leaving the emigration from China in private hands, without sufficient responsibility, and paid by bounty or by a commission on each emigrant shipped. This system will lead to abuses and bring discredit on the country. It must be conducted by a paid officer, responsible to Government, and, to a certain extent, under the orders and supervision of the local Government. The head quarters of the Emigration Office should be at Hong Kong; but the agent should have authority to procure emigrants at other places, and to send vessels there if necessary. There will be a good deal of expense in organizing an office and proper establishment at the commencement: but everything must be done to inspire confidence among the Chinese, so that they may come from the country to seek for emigration of their own accord, and not at the instiga- tion of brokers, who may probaby deceive them, by means which ouf ignorance of the main land, and our very imperfect knowledge of their habits and language, render it îm possible to discover until it be too late to apply the necessary remedy.
Emigration should for the present be restricted to the period between the 1st of September and the 31st March, giving the agent authority to extend this period, unler certain circumstances, and with the sanction of the Governor.
In order to disabuse the public mind of the strong feeling that now prevails, adverse to all emigration, I have had the notices and instructions printed, and herewith transmit a copy for the information of the Commissioners Further experience will no doubt suggest alterations and improvements; meanwhile their tenor will show the anxiety of Govern- ment, that this new emigration should be openly and fairly conducted, and in a manner likely to be conducive to the general benefit of all parties interested in its welfare.
I have, &e. S. Walcott, Esq.
JAMES T. WHITE (Signal)
P.S. I am afraid the Commissioners will think me troublesome in sending home so many detailed papers as to the clothing and provisions of the emigrants, the seaworthiness and measurement of the ship, &c. &c.; Lut my object has been to show generally the system under which emigration should be carried on from here, and I should not consider it necessary to forward such papers for the future.
During my stay in China my object has been not to obstruct pending arrangements. but to facilitate them in every possible way; and I have endeavoured to lead matters towards a permanent system, by suggesting and recommending such points ns I com- sidered necessary. These suggestions have always been attended to.
It is matter of great regret to me that I have been able to effect so little—indeed, practically nothing. Still I feel that the mere fact of the presence of an emigration agent recognized by Government has done good, by inducing more caution than might other- wise have existed, and that the vessels despatched to the British West Indies since my arrival have had as much care and attention bestowed upon them as was compatible. under existing circumstances, with the reckless and unregulated emigration to Cuba, Peru, and elsewhere, taking place at the same time, from the same ports, and by the same agents, as the emigration to the British West Indies.—11th April.
DEAR SIRS,
(No. 7-1
Canton, March 26, 1853. I AM in receipt of your favour of the 25th, mentioning "that it will be impossible to despatch the Emigrant" before 31st March, and that “from what Messrs. Hyde. Hodge, and Co. had written to you, you infer that an engagement entered into prior to the 31st March, although the vessel may not sail before that date, will be sufficient
• to entitle them to the bounty offered by the Government of Demerara for the importa- tion of Chinese field labourers
S
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
1PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO