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CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO

cannot possibly expect to acquire a competent knowledge for several years to come. My best exertions will of course be directed, however, to the study of the Chinese character, with a view to conducting this experiment to a successful issue; and I am the more sanguine as to the practicability of managing them from an occurrence which at first inclined me to come to an opposite conclusion,.

7. This occurrence was brought to my notice by a report from the stipendiary magistrate of the district, Mr. Ware, wlio informed me that a serious affray had taken place between the Chinese immigrants located on plantation" Blanken- bury" and the emancipated negroes inhabiting the adjacent freehold village of "Den Amstel," and that he was greatly at a loss how to conduct the proceed- ings upon a charge brought in consequence against six of the former, who had been taken into custody by the police, owing to the want of any interpreter competent to translate the evidence from English into Chinese, or vice versa, the best of the number yet arrived scarcely comprehending the commonest sentence in the former language.

8. Convinced of the necessity of nipping such quarrels in the bud, I at once determined to repair to the spot, and be present with as much official display as was convenient at Mr. Ware's investigation, to facilitate which I requested the attendance of Dr. David Shier, who had accompanied these Chinese as surgeon to the "Lord Elgin," and who understands their language when spoken, though not himself able to converse fluently in it.

9. A very painstaking and searching inquiry accordingly took place in my presence, with the details of which I will not trouble your Grace any further than to mention, that as it appeared clear that the conduct of the Chinese, after the first dispute between one of their number and one of the villagers, which it seemed probable originated in their ignorance of each other's intentions and language, had been marked by great violence and a formidable spirit of com. bination which but for the presence of mind of the manager of the plantation and the firmness of three policemen whom he summoned to his aid from the nearest station, must have led to bloodshed, the six ringleaders were sentenced to a month's hard labour each in Georgetown Gaol.

10. My object, however, is rather to advert to the great deference to con- stituted authority exhibited by the Chinese throughout these transactions, thirty or forty of them in the first instance laying down their weapons, and allowing a part of their number to be arrested by a few unarmed policemen, of the very race and colour for which they had previously shown such extreme contempt as to attack at least 600 arrayed for the defence of the village; whilst the orderliness of their behaviour was even more strongly shown on the occasion of my visit, as large a number as the room in which the inquiry was held would accommodate being admitted, and listening with grave attention to the evidence, pro and con, as translated into Chinese, or repeating it from time to time to their countrymen who surrounded the house. Finally, though the six men convicted were conducted back for the night to the station house, and marched publicly along the high road next day to jail, under the escort of the same three policemen, not the least sign of turbulence was manifested.

11. I am encouraged to hope, therefore, that this example will prevent any further disturbance of the public peace, particularly as I endeavoured to explain to them the proper mode of obtaining redress for any grievance they might suppose themselves suffering under, and also enjoined upon the negroes patience and forbearance towards them, which was readily promised, accompanied by an assurance that they considered them more "respectable" than the Indian coolies, and should be glad to live on good terms with them.

12. With respect to the remaining point, their efficiency in labour, it might almost suffice to say that the six set to break stones within the jail accomplish a far larger amount of work in the allotted hours than has ever previously been got out of either negroes, Portuguese, or coolies; but I can also bear personal testimony to the general approbation expressed of them as labourers in sugar cultivation by all the planters who have yet had to do with them, corroborated by the material fact of the large earnings to which they had entitled themselves in addition to their keep.

13. Their houses were a model of cleanliness and comfort, and they were described to me as distinguished by singular decorum and good breeding in their deportment towards each other, never beginning their meals until all were ready. and then dividing the food given them into equal portions before any one com-

EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.

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menced eating, They display their imitative tendencies in a most extraordinary way, several of them having attended a neighbouring missionary chapel on the sabbath, and gone through the whole service as if they understood it, kneeling, sitting, or standing with the rest of the congregation. They have likewise purchased already several articles of European attire, and seem disposed, unlike the natives of India, to spend their money very freely in such things, or even in mere luxuries and dainties.

14. On the whole, I am so strongly convinced that the Chinese possess the energy and intelligence attributed to them, joined with a power of enduring the rays of the tropical sun, which the natives of Madeira, who have done so much towards the prosperity and progress of society in this colony, can unfortunately never be said to attain, or we should not have to go further for a suitable

popu- lation, that I perceive with very great regret that it is Dr. Bowring's opinion that the emigration from that country to the West Indies will not proceed at the rapid rate anticipated, and that it will, moreover, be next to impossible to domiciliate the Chinese with wives and families in a foreign land.

15. Time alone can, however, satisfactorily solve these questions; and be the obstacles what they may, I venture respectfully to hope that I have said enough to induce Her Majesty's Government to do all in their power to promote an undertaking so largely conducive to the benefit of all concerned. Dr. Bowring's statement, that rice is an inaccessible luxury to hundreds of thousands," being far surpassed by what Dr. David Shier told me, on the authority of parties resident at Amoy, namely, that in years of scarcity one eighth of the population of that immense city perished, their places being filled up from the surrounding country so rapidly that not the slightest change was presented in the aspect of the place.

16. Compared to such wholesale waste of human existence, the mortality incidental to the passage hither, could it even not be reduced to an ordinary average by the employment of larger ships and the introduction of improved arrangements, sinks into utter insignificance.

The Duke of Newcastle,

&c. &c. &c.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

I have, &c., (Signed)

Enclosure in No. 37.

HENRY BARKLY.

I HAVE the honour to enclose for your Excellency's information, a tabular state- ment of the admission of Chinese immigrants into the Colonial hospital. It will be perceived that the number admitted have been twenty-nine (29) out whom ten have died; three are still dangerously ill. But such was the severity of the cases on admission that the mortality must be considered as low, even should the three cases referred to terminate unfavourably.

I feel convinced that had similar grades of illness occurred among cooly immigrants or liberated Africans, the mortality would have been double. I therefore entertain a very favourable opinion of the constitutional power of the Chinese immigrants.

It is not unlikely that the Chinese boy (whose name we could not discover, and who is designated as No. 4) brought his intermittent fever with him to the colony. "Goh Pi," who had been for a few days before admission at Pln. Klyn Pondereyn, as will be seen by the table, suffered from an attack of yellow fever in its virulent form, as a consecutive disease. Considering the short period of exposure, this occurrence leads to the inference that the Chinese immigrants have no exemption from our epidemic influences. But still the recovery of "Goli Pi” from so severe an attack corroborates the notion that the organism of the Chinese labourer is strong, and possesses much vital resistance—of course, from such very limited experience as we yet possess on this subject, the conclusions can he provisional only. I would respectfully suggest to your Excellency, that if the Chinese immigration be continued, the immigrants should be chosen from such districts of country us closely resembles this colony in climate and geology: It is probable that the superiority of Calcutta over the Madras coolies in adaptability to our wants, is due to conditions of this nature.

I have, &c., (Signed) DANIEL BLAIR, M.D.,

To his Excellency Governor Barkly,

&c.

&c.

&c.

O

Surgeon General

Encl. in No.37.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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