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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

TUTT

Reference :-

C.O.

885

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1 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO

know what he was going to do in Havannah." From my ignorance of the Chinese language, and the want of an interpreter in whom I could place confidence, it was clearly of no use to prosecute such inquiries further.

The mate assured me that they were well fed, having biscuit, tea, and sugar for breakfast, and rice, with fish or beef alternately, for dinner; and certainly they exhibited no signs of ill-treatment, nor did any of them evince a disposition to complain to me, though they must have seen I was a person in authority.

The vessel was regularly barricaded abaft, just before the cabin; two carronades said to be loaded with grape, were placed behind the barricade, pointing forwards, and two small swivel guns were mounted in like manner on the poop; besides which there were twenty-four muskets and several fowling-pieces, all said to be loaded.

The crew were all berthed in the fore-cabin; and one man on the forecastle, and two men on the poop kept watch over the Chinese day and night.

From Mr. Reid, his mate, and seamen I heard the same story, that no trust could be placed in the emigrants. That whilst in the neighbourhood of land, they believed they were at any moment prepared to seize the ship, had an opportunity offered; and that even now it was necessary to keep strict watch over them to prevent their rising.

The master assured me the people were the very scum of the Chinese population, and many of them were put on board from the gaols, where some were under sentence of death.

It is due to Mr. Reid to say that he threw his ship open to my inspection without the slightest hesitation, and did not appear anxious to conceal anything from me, though be denied my right as Emigration Agent to interfere with him; a matter I readily conceded. Should his Excellency require any further information on this subject, I understand the chief officer of the Lady Amherst" has been landed here, and sent to the hospital, and he, no doubt, will readily supply it.

TheLady Amherst " is owned by Mr. Anthony George Robinson, Mark Lane, London.

I have, &c.

The Hon. George W. Edwardes, Acting Colonial Secretary.

Encl. 2 in No. 4+.

SIR,

No. 45.

(Signed)

Enclosure 2 in No. 44.

W. ROWLATT,

Emigration Agent.

Liberated African Estal·lishment, St. Helena,

April 5, 1853.

I HAVE the honour to report that, in obedience to his Excellency's instructions, conveyed to me in your letter of the 1st instant, I yesterday visited the British ship

Columbus," at anchor here, on her way to Havannah with coolies from Amoy.

I found her crowded with people beyond what the British Passenger Act would sanction, and on leaving Amoy she must have exceeded her legal complement by more than two- She was armed fifths, but 17 persons had been lost on the passage from different causes.

and barricaded in the same manner as appears to be customary in vessels engaged in the coolie carrying trade. The Chinese required constant watching, and had shown a dispo- sition to revolt, but there had been no positive attempt on their part to rise.

A-good many of the emigrants were sickly, but not more than 10 or 12 appeared to be seriously so.

I measured the deck appropriated to the emigrants, and have made notes of all par ticulars respecting the ship and people, but forbear to trouble his Excellency with particu- lars as in the case of the "Lady Amherst," as I shall be prepared to furnish them whenever required.

The Hon. G. W. Edwardes

I have, &c. (Signed) W. HOWLATT, Emigration Agent

No. 45.

COPY of a LETTER from the COLONIAL LAND AND EMIGRATION COMMIS- SIONERS TO HERMAN MERIVALE Esq.

SIR,

Colonial Land and Emigration Office, June 15, 1859.

We have the honour to enclose herewith, for the information of the Duke April 9. No. 12. of Newcastle, copies of two letters which we have received from Mr. White, the April 16, No. 14. Emigration Agent at Hong Kong,

2. In the first of these letters he reports the despatch of the "Lady Flora Hastings" with emigrants to Trinidad, and encloses various papers connected with that vessel, of which we think it unnecessary to trouble the Duke of New- castle with copies. He likewise explains the circumstances under which he had promised a bounty of 100 dollars each on the Chinese conveyed by the

EMIGRATION OF CHINESE COOLIES.

135

Emigrant" to British Guiana, notwithstanding that the vessel will not sail till after the 31st March. This subject was referred to in the private letter which we transmitted to you on the 4th instant; and Mr. White's further explanation confirms our opinion that he exercised a sound judgment in the matter. And considering the value which the planters in British Guiana place on the services of the Chinese, we cannot doubt that they will prefer to pay the higher price than not to obtain them at all. We enclose copy of Mr. White's letter to Messrs. Turner on this subject. He likewise reports having engaged two interpreters, the one for British Guiana and the other for Trinidad, the latter of whom would have to be forwarded to Trinidad from British Guiana. We apprehend that the necessary instructions for providing this man with a passage should be transmitted to the Acting Governor of British Guiana, and that the descrip- tion of the qualifications of these two men, and the contracts made with them, of which copies are enclosed, should be communicated to the Governors of British Guiana and Trinidad respectively.

No. 7, dated

March 26, 1853. In Mr. White's let ter of April 9.

No. 10.

No. 11.

8. Lastly, Mr. White states the circumstances under which he had decided in Mr. White's let- to place on board the "Emigrant" certain suits of clothing, which he had

ter of April 9. purchased in anticipation of being able to procure conveyance for a larger number of emigrants, but which, in consequence of the impossibility of doing so, remained on his hands at the end of the season. Upon the wisdom of the course which he adopted in this matter we feel unable to pronounce any opinion. The balance of profit or loss by retaining or sending on the clothes, could be decided only by a person on the spot, and having an intimate acquaintance both with the expense of storing such articles and the risk of their deterioration. We can only suggest that this portion of Mr. White's letter should be communicated to the Acting Governor of British Guiana and to Lord Harris, in order that they may be aware of the supplies which will thus be furnished to them for return coolies, &c. It is unfortunate that we should have just contracted for 550 suits of clothing for Trinidad, under the instructions contained in your letter of 29th April last. But it is not impossible that the Acting Governor of British Guiana may think it advisable to retain the whole supply in that colony.

4. Mr. White's second letter contains several suggestions for the future conduct of Chinese emigration. We abstain from offering any opinion on these until we shall have had an opportunity of conferring personally with Mr. White. After seeing him it will be our duty hereafter to submit to the Duke of New- castle our views as to the manner in which this emigration may be most advantageouely carried on hereafter.

We have, &c.

Herman Merivale, Esq.

SIR,

&c.

&c.

(No. 12)

(Signed)

Enclosure 1 in No. 45.

T. W. C. MURDOCH. C. ALEXANDER WOOD.

Hong Kong, April 9, 1853. I HAVE the honour to enclose several papers connected with the "Lady Flora Hastings," which vessel left Namon for Trinidad on the 11th ultimo. I was prevented from going up to Namoa previous to her starting; first by my detention in Hong Kong, to await the arrival of the "Martin Luther," and afterwards by the want of any opportunity that would enable me to reach Namoa in time before the date appointed for her leaving.

No. 1. Is a list of the clothing put on board for the use of the emigrants.

No. 2. List of the provisions. These were all laid in here, and I examined them ami

found them all perfectly good.

No. 3. Certificate of measurement as to the number of emigrants the vessel may carry. No. 4. Certificate of seaworthiness.

No. 5. Letter from the surgeon of the vessel.

No. G. Letter of instructions from Tait and Co. to the captain.

2. From private and disinterested sources, I am informed that the emigrants were all fine able-bodied men; that they were highly pleased with the ship and the accommo dations provided, and that they were very anxious to enigrate. The ship is well found in everything. The captain is a quiet unpretending person, who seems eager to prove that the disasters that have so often occurred have been occasioned by want of manage ment, and not by ill-feeling on the part of the Chinese emigrants; and the surgeon is sober, and as far as I can judge well qualified for his duties; so that I hope this vessel,

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