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But we, as Englishmen, do not profess respect for the prejudices of caste, —we simply, from motives of policy and prudence, tolerate and yield to them in India. But in the West Indies, while we should abstain from wilful offence, we should allow the force of circumstances gradually to overcome them, and in a very few years they would be almost forgotten. In other respects those removed would be subject to no hardships. In their new country they could with the greatest ease earn a comfortable subsistence; and that the climate will not be prejudicial to them (so far at least as British Guiana is involved), may be inferred from the fact that the mortality among the indentured East India immigrants does not exceed 4 per cent, per annum.
If, therefore, upon these or other considerations, the removal of these people should be determined upon, the cost of the conveyance must, at any rate in the first instance, be defrayed by the Home or the East Indian Government, and the repayment by the Colony would be in the nature of a fixed annual charge. The people would, on their arrival, be at the absolute disposal of the Local Government, by whom they would be indentured as labourers for terms of years upon the several estates. Their position would be no worse than that of the immigrants now in the Colony. They would be provided with houses and medical attendance; they would receive the usual wages of the country for the work they might'do.__It would, however, be necessary, both for the safety of the country and for the protection of the people themselves, that the Government should possess the absolute power of transferring any of them, at its discretion, from one estate to another, as well as, in extreme cases, of confining those who might show a decided wish to give trouble. They would, of course, It would be for have no right to be sent back to India at any time. the Government to consider whether they should ever be allowed to return, if enabled to pay for their own passages.
The preceding observations apply solely to military offenders, inas- much as, in the case of non-military people, it is difficult to see how, unless they be actually brought to trial, they can be shown to have committed acts rendering them deserving of expatriation. But in their case, it is probable that large numbers will be brought to trial on one indictment. The Court will have no difficulty in distinguishing the jeaders from those led; and the latter might be sent to the West Indies, provided they could induce any females to accompany them in the proportion of, at least, one to two,
It will be seen that my object is, so to deal with this extraordinary affair as to strengthen the future administration of Indian affairs; and at the same time to obtain a large permanent addition to the population of a very important Colony, in a manner which I think circumstances fully justify.
The importance of obtaining increased supplies of cotton and sugar, indeed, of guarding against the failure of the former, is not denied ; neither is the capability of British Guiana to produce an immense supply of cotton, of a quality which India cannot equal, denied. Population alone is wanted. Other nations are supplying themselves without scruple-we hesitate to adopt the least objectionable of the means they take: but here are other means. No one can deny the peril to which our rule has been exposed; no one can deny that the greatest atrocities have been committed. Why should we not avow that we will deal with them in a manner calculated to benefit the whole Empire?
It may be well, before elesing this Memorandum, for me to make some allusion to the higher description of offenders, who may be convicted, and sentenced to long terms of punishment, and whom the Government might wish to send out of India.
The case of these people is very different: they would bring no women with them; they would make no permanent addition to the popu- lation; they could not be allotted to estates, but must, if sent to the West Indies, he worked as felons on the public works. Whether the West Indian communities would assent to the reception of such people is more doubtful, although my own opinion is that some hundreds might, with great advantage, be employed in British Guiana. And I should wish it
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to be understood that the views expressed in this Memorandum are quite personal, and that if they should find favour with Mr. Labouchere, it would persons be necessary for me to take steps for ascertaining the feelings of connected with the Colony both here and in the West Indies."
In conclusion, I hope I may call Mr. Labouchere's attention to the possibility of great distress becoming prevalent in Bengal before long, and of large numbers of people being found without the means of subsistence. Might not the Emigration Agent at Calcutta receive authority to give aid to a limited extent by providing passages to the West Indies? The immediate demands upon the resources of the East India Company might thus, though in a very limited degree, be diminished; and I am confident that the Colony of British Guiana would enter into an equitable arrange- ment for the eventual repayment of the outlay.
(Signed) P. E. WODEHOUSE.
London, August 28, 1857.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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