CO885-(1-2) — Page 348

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

1 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Encl. 2 in No. 14.

No. 105.

No. 14.

28

CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO

Mr. Kennedy's attention in the Despatch referred to by your Lordship. I am informed it is more of use in terrorem to produce good behaviour, than carried into practice to compel obedience; but still it subsists, and may be enforced. It is the most unjust and arbitrary measure which could be devised, and to which neither the Chinese nor the Indians ought to be subjected.

With great respect, I have, &c.,

(Signed)

The Earl of Malmesbury,

&c. &c.

SIR,

&c.

No. 14.

EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.

29

families--and candidates in abundance are found for transportation to any foreign land. But I need not point out the deterioration in quality which a sudden and large demand will produce, nor the impossibility under its pressure of doing what might and ought to be done to ensure the success and safety of the experiment.

The principal shipper of coolies is Mr. Tait, a British subject, who has all the advan- tages and influence which his being Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese Consul gives him.

I have, &c., (Signed) JOHN BOWRING.

Jos. J. CRAWFORD,

Consul General in Cuba.

Lord Malmesbury,

&c.

&c.

SIR,

Copy of a LETTER from the Right Hon. Lord STANLEY to HERMAN MERIVALE Esq.

Foreign Office, October 20, 1852.

I AM directed by the Earl of Malmesbury to transmit to you, for the Nos. 94 and 105. information of Secretary Sir John Pakington, copies of two Despatches and their Enclosures received from Dr. Bowring on the subject of coolie labour and coolie emigration from Amoy to the West Indies.

Encl. 1 in No. 14.

Herman Merivale, Esq.,

&c. &c.

MY LORD,

I am, &c.,

(Signed)

STANLEY.

Enclosure 1 in No. 14.

Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, August 3, 1852. REFERRING to my Despatch No. 23, of 17th May on the subject of coolie emigra- tion, I have to state to your Lordship that nine vessels measuring nearly 4,000 tons are reported as having reached Amoy for the purpose of conveying Chinese coolies to the West Indies.

Not having received on this special matter any instructions from the Foreign Office, and being without official information as to the general views of Her Majesty's Govern- ment, knowing nothing as to the extent in which tacit or open sanction may have been conceded or denied to enterprises which are developing themselves on so vast a scale,-I have thought it my duty to instruct Her Majesty's consul at Amoy to obtain all infor- mation accessible to him for the purpose of communicating it to your Lordship, and enclose herewith copy of iny letter to Mr. Consul Sullivan.

Your Lordship is aware that the self-expatriation of Chinese subjects is prohibited by Chinese law, and of course it would be quite competent to the native authorities at once to check or prevent emigration. But emigration has become so much a habit and the idle, vagrant, and profligate population of the const is a source of so much embarrassment to the Mandarins-that it is probable they will look rather with complacency than annoy- ance on the removal of the superfluous multitude. In fact, without proper precautions we may see the gaols of China emptied to supply "labour" to British colonies.

Such horrors, miseries, and atrocities of all sorts--such frightful mortality—such acts of piracy and murder have been associated with the transfer of coolies to foreign regions, that common humanity forbids the looking with indifference on what is taking place; and I see, with deep regret, instead of a quiet, steady, and progressing system of well- digested emigration--giving time for the fit selection and becoming organization of proper bodies of Chinamen-we have a sudden irruption of a fleet of ships whose united* presence is, I apprehend, likely to be eminently prejudicial to such arrangements as would De most beneficial to the honest interests of those concerned.

Contemporaneously with these proceedings large contracts for the shipment of coolies for the Havanna are now in the market. It is said that enormous profits have been already made by the transfer of such contracts to Chinese speculators; and aware as I at of the mapacity, recklessness, and inhumanity of this class of adventurers, the whole subject creates no small amount of anxiety in my mind

en disposed to think that with prudent, sober, and humane management a body of useful labourers might be transferred to our colonies for the common benefit of all con- cerned ; but without becoming precautions there will be only a result of disappointment and misery. Nothing can be more remarkable than the returns furnished froin different quarters of the results of Clûnese emigration. In some cases the misery has been extreme, and the mortality frightful; in others whole cargoes have reached their destination almost without the loss of a man.

I have myself seen the arrangements for the shipment of coolies at Amoy-hundreds of them gathered together in barracoons, stripped naked, and stamped or painted with the letter C. (California), P. (Peru), or S. (Sandwich Islands) on their breasts, according to the destination for which they were intendel. A trifle advanced to give their bungriness food-a suit of clothes to cover their nudity-a dollar or two for their

Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, August 3, 1852. I OBSERVE in the shipping returns from Amoy the announcement of the arrival of a long list of vessels stated to be bound to the West Indies, and which I suppose are intended to convey coolies thither. As this wholesale emigration, suddenly undertaken on so vast a scale, will certainly excite much attention, I have to request you will convey to me all accessible information on the subject as to the arrangements made for the supply of coolies, the manner in which they are obtained and treated on shore, the Accommodation provided on board, the particulars of the contracts entered into, the knowledge which the coolies have of such contracts, the reputation of the Chinese contractors, and the general character of the coolies shipped. As no letter has been received by me from the home authorities, showing that Her Majesty's Government have official cognizance of what is taking place, and I have had no instructions either to assist or in any way to interfere with these vast plans of emigration, I have at present only to request that you will keep me accurately advised of all that is taking place. I need not remind you that a vast mass of human interests, human misery, and consequent responsibility are involved, nor call to your recollection the wretchedness and crime which have been associated with the transport of coolies. But I cannot doubt that it will be expected from Her Majesty's functionaries in China to keep a strict watch on, and to make a detailed report of what is going forward, a duty which I confidently commend to your special charge.

G. G. Sullivan, Esq.,

&c.

MY LORD,

&c.

I have, &c., (Signed) JOHN BOWRINO,

(True copy)

(Signed)

FREDERICK HARVEY.

Enclosure 2 in No. 11.

Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, August 23, 1852. As the subject of Chinese coolie labour is now exciting so much interest, I beg leave to enclose an Extract from the address of the president of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, as given in the "Polynesian" of the 19th June last. I have, &c., (Signed) JOHN BOWRING

The Earl of Malmesbury, &c. &c. &c.

"On the subject of labour I am happy to say there is less to fear than formerly. The enterprise set on foot by our society for procuring labourers from China has at last met with success, and much credit is due to Captain John Cass for the faithful manner in which he has carried out the experiment of introducing coodies. The Chinese brought here in the "Thetis" have proved themselves quiet, able, and willing men, and I have little doubt, judging from our short experience, that we shall find coolie labour to be für more certain, systematic, and economical than that of the natives. They are prompt at the call of the bell, steady in their work, quick to learn, and when well fed will recon- plish more, and in a better manner than any other class of operatives we have. The cost of importing coolies is fifty dollars per man, and it has been estimated by those who employ then that their wages and support amount to a trifle under seven dollars per month. They are great eaters, but their food, chiefly composed of rice and a little ment, is of the cheapest kind, and, to make them profitable, they should never be stinted in their allowance. To all those planters who can afford it, I would say procure as many coolies as you can, and work them by themselves, as far as possible separate from the natives; and you will find that, if well managed, their example will have a stimulating effect on the Hawaiian, who is naturally jealous of the coolie, and ambitious to outdo him. There is still a deficiency of labour in some islands, but I believe the door of relief is open to us, and that we can procure labourers at a cheaper rate than any other sugar or coffee growing country, except those in the extreme east, or, more properly speaking, in this longitude the far west."

(True extract.)

(Signed)

D 3

FREDERICK HARVEY.