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would be competent to enact almost all that could practically be carried into effect.
5. But Dr. Bowring observes that even in China any British law could only be enforced through the British consuls, and that the persons concerned in the emigration could, with the support or connivance of the Chinese authorities (which would be readily obtained), ship their emigrants at places at which no British consular authority existed, and in which, consequently, the ships would escape even the general check on their proceedings which is derived from the presence of such an authority. If this be so, it appears to us to present a very great obstacle to the enforcement of any effective regulations on ships (even though British) proceeding from China to any other foreign country. It is, however, possible that if penalties were imposed on any British ship which took in passengers before receiving a certificate from the consul of the seaworthiness and other necessary matters, or took in a greater number than was allowed by that certificate; and if in the first instance the power thus given was exercised with caution and forbearance, shipowners might not find it worth their while to resort to other places of embarkation, and if they did, the emigration from the great ports might obtain a superior character for safety and accommodation, which would draw emigrants, and consequently the emigrant trade, thither. This, however, appears to be a matter to be considered by the Foreign Office and Board of Trade, who are best able to estimate what can be effected at their foreign ports. In any case it is to be hoped, that as these mutinies are said to have arisen from want of consideration for the Chinese, shipowners will find themselves obliged, by motives of mere self-interest, to consult the feelings of those for whose conveyance they undertake. And we should point out that the assistant consul at Amoy expresses his opinion that the crowding of vessels has not been carried so far as might have been expected in an unregulated trade, and that the amount of provisions put on board has generally been ample.
6. The emigration to British colonies is more susceptible of regulation, as
a check can be applied at the port of disembarkation.
7. That to Australia is conducted as a matter of private speculation, without any aid from Government; but we are not aware that hitherto any abuses have occurred in it. We would recommend that the authorities in New South Wales and Victoria should be directed to watch the emigration, and in case any serious abuses should come to light, or appear probable, to propose to the Legislature an Act imposing penalties on all ships bringing immigrants to those colonies, in which it should appear that a certain portion of space had not been allotted to the emigrants, or a certain issue of provisions made regularly to them throughout the voyage, or that the ship had left China in an unseaworthy state. The details of such a measure it would, of course, be for the local authorities to determine.
Pro-
8. The emigration to the West Indies is as yet in its commencement. bably by this time five or six ships will have left China for Demerara or Trinidad. This emigration, with the exception of a few ships proceeding on bounty to British Guiana, will be entirely conducted by Mr. White, the recently appointed emigration agent. Over this, therefore, the control of Govern ment is complete, and no abuse is to be apprehended. And the proceedings of private ships may be controlled from the circumstance that the bounty on Chinese emigrants is not legally claimable, (Ordinances 20 and 22 of 1851,) unless the ship bringing them to the colony shall have been inspected, and proper certificates given by the Government emigration agent, at the port of departure. It will be seen by reference to the instructions* first issued to Mr. White, that this point has been fully attended to. We are, indeed, ourselves of opinion, that Government emigration being now set on foot, the bounty might very properly be withdrawn. There are evident inconveniences in the concurrent existence of two systems of emigration, one of which is, that a given sum being voted for emigration, it is impossible to predict with certainty how much will be claimed by persons importing immigrants on bounty, and by consequence how much remains available for purely Government emigration.
8(b). But if the bounty be retained, we think the clauses requiring the certificate of the Government emigration agent as a condition of its payment should be more clearly framed. They should, we think, declare that bounty
• Commissioners Report, October 28.
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
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should not be payable on Chinese immigrants, except they were shipped at ports at which a Government agent had been appointed, nor without a certifi cate from him, or some person deputed by him, stating the number of emigrants placed on board; that the ship was seaworthy; that a space of 12 superficial, and 72 cubical feet per adult, was allowed to the passengers; that provisions and water equal to 25 weeks supply, on a scale to be fixed by the emigration agent, had been placed on board; nor unless it appeared that the emigrants had been well treated on the voyage, and provisions issued according to the above-mentioned scale
9. The enclosures to Dr. Bowring's Despatch contain merely matters of information, from which, however, it may be useful to select some leading facts bearing on the prospects of the emigration. The statements of the different consular authorities are so much of the same character with each other, and with the reports previously received from Mr. White and others, that they need not be separately stated.
The
10. The Chinese appear to be valuable immigrants, fitted for labour in the West Indies, and ready to leave their country in almost any numbers. From Amoy alone it is said that 6,000, or, with improved facilities, 12,000 emigrants might be procured annually. The Canton people are said by the consul to be strong, intelligent, thrifty, industrious, and of all Chinese the best adapted for labour in the West Indies. Those of Amoy are described as persevering and sufficiently robust, but slow. A large average of industrious and quiet labourers might be procured there, though it is not to be expected (nor indeed desired) that persons better off in the world would emigrate to the West Indies. Shanghae people are good humoured and fairly industrious, but they do not bear to be lurried or kept too close to their work. Without a certain amount of idling and holiday-making they become sulky and impracticable.
11. The wages of an ordinary labourer near Canton appear to be at most two dollars a month, with his rice; and in the neighbourhood of Amoy 3d. or id. a day without any such allowance. A first-class labourer, possessing somewhat of agricultural science, may obtain 6d. They would be ready to emigrate on the terms offered by the West Indies, especially after some of them had gone out and returned with their gains, or with a good account of the country. With this view it is recommended that return passages should be given to a few of the immigrants soon after their arrival in the West Indies. And Mr. White expresses his intention to engage two or three respectable men on short contracts for two or three years to be sent back (free, we presume) at the end of that term. Indentures are recommended, both for the safety of the importer and the satisfaction of the Chinese, by whom they are generally well understood. And the contracts in use for the West Indies (which offer food, lodging, medical attendance, and four dollars a month), are considered liberal and sufficient.
12. It appears to be, at least for the present, impracticable to set on foot any female emigration, except by the simple purchase of women,-a proceeding which, independently of other objections, would, it is said, give great umbrage.
18. The Chinese law† comprises apparently some constructive prohibition of emigration, but it appears wholly obsolete. Emigrants are collected by the publication of placards, and are sent off in thousands from Canton and Amoy. The following table shows the numbers despatched in the last few years from Canton, and those who left Amoy under contract with foreigners :-
-
1848.
1849.
1850.
1951,
1852.
Canton
10
900
3,118
3,508
17,025 (first 6 months.)
Amoy
120
280
1,000
2,066
1,739
(first 8 months.)
P.S. January 11.-And at Ningpo.
P.S. January 11.-The state of the Chinese law is rather more specifically stated by Mr. l'arkes. It appears that it is occasionally so far enforced that the property amassed by emigrants is on their return to China wholly or in part confiscated for emigration without licence. This, however, bears the aspect of mere extortion; and of course this would counteract pro tanto the alleged desire of all Chinese emigrants to return to their country.
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But besides this the assistant consul speaks of “a flood of 50,000 able-bodied men" as emigrating annually from the province of Fokein, under what are called native contracts. Only a few hundred Chinese have left Shanghac; but these numbers are sufficient to show that the Chinese authorities do not seriously oppose emigration. Indeed, it is said the attempt to do so would excite resistance, and greatly aggravate the disturbances which take place in the famines which occur periodically in China, and for which the officers attempting to enforce the law would be made responsible. The only interference which appears to be considered probable is that of exacting bribes from the Chinese crimps and agents, in case anything occurred which was likely to become a scandal.
14. There is reason to hope that the collection and conveyance of these emigrants may eventually cost less than the 100 dollars originally fixed as a bounty in Britisk Guiana; the conveyance being estimated at from 12. 10s. to 157.* a head, while the expenses of collection appear to be trifling. We feel much doubt, however, whether it will be practicable to reduce the cost of emigration so much as these figures would indicate. We learn from a letter lately received from Mr. White, that the bounty for Havannali is as much as 125 dollars, and that the profits of the contractor are not estimated at more than 10 dollars, leaving 85 dollars, or about 18., as the cost of collection and conveyance.
15. We shall not fail to bear in mind, so far as they have not been anti- cipated, the various suggestions of detail respecting the conveyance of the emigrants, which these papers contain, but with these it is unnecessary to trouble the Secretary of State. Those which regard the securing of Govern- ment superintendence have been in a great measure either anticipated by the appointment of Mr. White, or answered by Dr. Bowring.
16. Mr. Winchester also supplies some interesting information with regard to the prosperous emigration of Chinese to the Malayan Archipelago, and their less fortunate passages to America. The details which he mentions do not bear much on West Indian emigration; but it is, perhaps, worth observing that the planters in Cuba find it worth their while to import Chinese labourers at 125 dollars a head, in order that they may employ them at wages amounting to three dollars a month besides rations. The fact may throw some light on the cost and profits of sugar-growing in Cuba, the rival of our free colonies.
should 17. In conclusion, we have only to suggest that copies of these papers be sent to the colonies of Jamaica, British Guiana, and Trinidad, to whom every information must be important respecting the character and management of the immigrants whom they are about to receive.
18. We would also recommend that copies of Mr. White's letter should be sent to the colonies of British Guiana and Trinidad, with reference especially to Mr. White's intention, judicious as we think, to guarantee two or three back passages. We should, however, explain that the delay in sending out Mr. White's instructions, to which that gentleman refers, arose from the necessity of obtaining the concurrence of the Foreign Office, and that the employment of Messrs. Tait and Co. is a circumstance arising out of the bounty emigration of this year. If that mode of emigration is discontinued it will be open to Mr. White to suggest a different mode of proceeding for the next
We have, &c.
season.
(Signed)
T. W. C. MURDOCH. FREDERICOGERS
P. S. January 11.-Since writing the above Report we have received your letter of the same date (7th instant), enclosing two further Despatches from Dr. Bowring, with memoranda from the consuls at Amoy and Ningpo, and from a gentleman named Parkes, who appears to act as Chinese interpreter at Hong Kong.
This latter memorandum and the Despatch enclosing it, contain some interesting information respecting emigration to the neighbouring countries, and especially respecting the organization of the Chinese emigrants in Java, under We should apprehend, a species of municipal Board of their own countrymen.
P.S. January 11.-The Consul at Amoy estimates it at 177.
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
53
however, that such a system would be scarcely desirable in the West Indies; first, because the Chinese must to a certain extent be dispersed in small bodies through the sugar estates, and not collected in one large body; secondly, because we imagine it would promote isolation, instead of the amalgamation of the immigrants; thirdly, because the principal questions of law which would arise would be between them and their employers, which must be settled by British law and British judges; and lastly, because the law courts of the colony would, we trust, amply secure to the immigrants that justice and freedom which in Java can, perhaps, be only attained by this kind of imperium in imperio.
It will be seen by Mr. White's letter (annexed), that the proposal of Messrs. Turner and Co. to procure labourers in the neighbourhood of Canton, to which Dr. Bowring objects, originated with him. And we are aware that he expected to obtain a supply of useful persons from that neighbourhood; as he states himself to be in free communication with Dr. Bowring, it cannot be doubted that the advantages and disadvantages of the different localities will be fully considered. It is a question which evidently can best be settled on the spot.
The slender information given in the consular letters now forwarded so nearly coincides with what had been already received, that it merely requires the addition to our Report of two or three marginal motes, which will be found in their places. Herman Merivale, Esq.,
SIR,
&c.
&c.
Enclosure in No. 18.
Hong Kong, October 15, 1852. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I arrived here on the 10th instant. On the evening of that day I proceeded to Canton, in order to place myself in com- munication with Messrs. Turner and Co., who have been authorized by Messrs. Hyde, Hodge, and Co. to attend to the shipment of emigrant labourers for Demerara and Trinidad.
I returned from Canton on the 14th, and shall leave this for Amoy on the 17th; and I write this some days in advance of the mail, in case I should not find any opportunity of writing from Amoy.
The instructions which I expected to receive by this mail, v Marseilles, have not come to hand. I shall, however, not in accordance with what I conceive to be the spirit of my instructions; and shall meanwhile use every effort in my power to forward the emigration of labourers, and to place it on a satisfactory footing.
I had a long interview yesterday with his Excellency Dr. Bowring, the Superintendent of Trade. He stated to me fully the views which he entertains on the subject of Chinese emigration to the West Indies; 'and has no doubt of its ultimate success, provided the system be well organized, and fairly and honestly carried out.
Several cases of great mortality, of mutiny, and murder having occurred recently on board of vessels bound to Peru and Panama with Chinese labourers, he has thought it necessary to issue a notification having reference to British vessels engaged in the transport of coolies; a copy of which, marked A., is annexed for your information. As far as my information goes, all these cases have occurred through, and have been occasioned by, gross mismanagement on board, or had treatment on the part of the commanders of vessels engaged in the service. The food has been bad, or the supply inadequate, or the peculiar customs and habits of the emigrants have been unnecessarily interfered with. Harsh treatment has been followed by resistance, and mutiny and murder have brought the voyage to an unhappy termination. It is alleged that some emigrants, engaged to go to San Francisco in California, have been carried to Lima in Peru; and that others, engaged as agricultural labourers for Peru, have been, on their arrival there, transferred, in à condition little if at all better than slaves, to the Guano Islands, where many of them have sought in suicide a relief for their miseries. It is to be regretted that the Government of Peru does not take steps to regulate this emigration, and to put it on a proper footing. The labour of the Chinese is invaluable to the Peruvians; but the emigration as now conducted is open to every possible abuse.
The "Glentanner" left Amoy on the 1st of September, and the "Lord! Elgin" on the 16th. I have not been able to ascertain the exact number on board of each vessel. The "Lord Elgin" had left Singapore two days before my arrival there in the steamer on the 1st instant; and I was informed that the emigrants were all well, and had expressed themselves satisfied with the food and the treatment they had received. The "Samuel Boddington" is now lying at Amoy, and the " Lucknow left this for Amoy a few days ago. At present I am not aware when the "Samuel Boddington" is likely to get away All these vessels are for Eritish Guiana.
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