86
If
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
The Lady Flora" is chartered at 101. 58. for every adult landed in the West Indies The Warriston" will probably be closed for on the same terms. before the 15th of next month.
Both will get away
I have, &c. (Signed) JAMES T. WHITE.
P.S. The freight does not include provisions, but only water, fuel, and fittings. The provisions are laid in by Messrs. Turner and Co.
S. Walcott. Es,
&c.
&c.
EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.
87
3. The Lady Flora Hastings" is nearly ready, and will leave this in a day or two for Namoa Arrangements had been made to procure people there previous to my fixing upon Hong Kong; otherwise I would have lid her placed here. I do not accom- pany her to Namon, as the "Martin Luther" is daily expected, and I am anxious about the success of the first emigration from Hong Kong. She measures 674 tons, and will carry 320 emigrants; and will complete the number required for Trinidad :—
Australia Clarendon Lady Flora Hastings
445
257
320
1,022
No. 32.
No. 9. January 27, 1853.
No. 32.
Cory of a LETTER from the COLONIAL LAND AND EMIGRATION COMMISSIONERS to HERMAN MERIVALE, Esq.
SIR,
Colonial Land and Emigration Office, April 7, 1853. WE beg to forward, for the information of the Duke of Newcastle, a copy of a letter which we have received from the Emigration Agent in China, with two of the enclosures, being a letter addressed by him to the Officiating Governor of the Straits Settlements, and a notice issued for the information of the Chinese.
2. With the other enclosures, which contain merely lists of provisions and correspondence with reference to the quality of the emigrants sent off by the "Samuel Boddington," which must be judged of by the authorities in British Guiana, it seems unnecessary to trouble the Duke of Newcastle.
3. It will be observed that Mr. White is endeavouring to procure interpreters, and expects that in time men will take their families with them.
Herman Merivale, Esq.,
&c.
&c.
Engl. 1 in No. 32.
SIR,
(Signed)
We have, &c.
T. W. C. MURDOCH. FREDERICK ROGERS.
Enclosure 1 in No. 32.
Hong Kong, January 27, 1853.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 16th instant, of my "instructions," which, bearing date the 22d October, ought apparently to have come to haud by the previous mail in December.
2. Under cover are several papers, numbered from 1 to 10.
No. 1. is a list and scale of the provisions and stores, &c. on board of the "Clarendon." I examined these and found them all good, and they appear to me sufficient in quantity for the voyage.
No. 2. is a list of the clothing on board of the "Clarendon " for the use of the emigrants, 257 in number.
No. 3. is a certificate in reference to the "Clarendon." The casks which I examined were all in good order, and the quantity of water in the certificate stated to be on board I have every reason to believe to be perfectly correct.
No. 4. is copy of a letter addressed to Mr. Blundell, Officiating Governor of the Straits Settlements, to ask his assistance in procuring interpreters. This was forwarded through his Excellency Dr. Bowring.
No. 5. Copy of a letter to me from Messrs. Turner and Co.
No, 6. Copy of a letter to Turner and Co. from Tait and Co., Amoy! Both of these have reference to the Samuel Bodlington.” I do not willingly trouble you with further correspondence on this subject, but I forward these at the request of Messrs. Turner and Co. They leave the matter as before. I believe Captain Hurt's statements to be greatly exaggerated, but that nevertheless many of the emigrants put on board were of an inferior description. The "Boddington " has been heard of, from Anjer-head all well.
No. 7. is a notice which I have had circulated here in the neighbourhood, in reference to emigration. It appears to have had a very good effect, and the Chinese say that the terms and conditions are perfectly satisfactory. The inquiries have been numerous, and I have every reason to believe that there will be no difficulty in securing a moderate supply of useful labourers. Some of them state that they will take their families if the country be a good one, but that they must go there first to see it, and if they like it they will return for their families.
•
No. 8. is a notice to be postel up on board of ship and at the emigration depôts, and embodies the rules and regulations to be observed on board.
No. 9. is the Chinese translation of No. 7.
No. 10. is the Chinese translation of No. 8.
I have also prepared instructions for the captains of vessels carrying emigrants, and a few short remarks for surgeons, which I will forward by next mail.
4. I regret to say that the charter of the "Lord Warriston" was broken off at the last moment, although the papers had been prepare and only waitedl signature. She goes to California, and takes 450 Chinese. Since then the agents of Messra. Hyde have been in treaty for the "Bangalore;" but this also has failed, the captain preferring a charter to Australin
5. So many disasters and misfortunes have occurred lately on board of the vessels bound to Cuba and Peru, that captains have become alarmned, and are very unwilling to engage in the emigration service, if anything else can be obtained. In time, I trust, that this feeling will wear off, (and the establishment of emigration from Hong Kong will contribute to this end) but in the meanwhile it impedes emigration, and will probably prevent the number intended for Demerara being shipped before the commencement of the south west monsoon.
As far as I am aware, nothing untoward has happened to any of the vessels bound to British Guiana or Trinidad The Lord Elgin" was obliged to put into Singapore, having been two months in beating down there against the south-west monsoon, and the captain thought it advisable to lay in more provisions. During my hurried visit to Singapore, I heard nothing unfavourable in reference to the "Lord Elgin.”
6. If an emigration agent be continued in China, I think it would be safer, and perhaps also more economical, to authorize his purchasing and procuring the necessary provisions and supplies for the voyage. From what I have seen in reference to Cuban and other emigration, I am inclined to think that there will always be a tendency with consignees to "do the thing" at the cheapest possible rate, without reference to other considerations; and that they will rather incur an uncertain amount of risk than a certain outlay. All necessary supplies may be obtained here at very moderate prices, except beef and pork, and even these might be obtained at a moderate price by making early and judicious arrangements.
This system would reinove the motive that influences many captains of vessels, in limiting the daily supplies to which the emigrants are entitled, with the view of economizing their cost during the voyage.
It would not be necessary, or perhaps desirable, to continue this for any length of time, but only until experience had shown what quantity, quality, and description of stores and necessaries were best suited to the voyage, and to the habits and requirements of the Chinese at sea.
7. At Amoy everything is perfectly quiet, and trade in its usual course. I believe that Mr. Syme, of Syme, Muir, and Co., has thrown up all connexion with emigration. There is a large vessel there, the "Medway," taking emigrants for Sydney or Fort Phillip.
Whatever arrangements may be made here, no emigration will be on a perfectly satis factory footing until some return emigrants come from the West Indies to give their own account of the country; then only can it be expected that the Chinese shoub] Have sufficient confidence to come forward eagerly as emigrants, and many would probably be willing to come under engagement to repay a portion of the cost of their introduction out of their earnings in the colony.
I have, &c.
S. Walcott, Esq.
&c.
&c.
(Signed) JAMES T. WHITE
P.S. 28th. The "Lady Florn Hastings" takes an English surgeon, who has been engaged for the voyage to the West Indies for 2007, sterling
I will send also an interpreter, now conditionally engaged, under contract for two or three years.
I have just seen a Manilla Price Current, of the 13th instant, which states that the - "Martin Luther" hud sailed for Sydney on the 8th of January, with a cargo of sugar, & de. There is not, therefore, the slightest clance of her being here, and it rests with the Commissioners to enforce the penalty, or not, as they deem mest mdvisable under the circumstances.-J. T. W.
MY DEAR SIR,
Hong Kong, January 19, 1853.
WHEN I had the pleasure of seeing you in Penang at the latter end of 1851, and also for a few minutes list September, you expressed some interest in the success of
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O.
Reference :-
885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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