CO885-5 — Page 539

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Amusement.

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the people, and every means should be taken to keep it dry and clean, and I make the person throwing water, or any- thing that would foul the deck, take a swab or broom, as the case requires, and clean it off, as a warning not to do so again. Rules to be of any use should be made for the comfort of all, and should be strictly enforced from the first, and coolies are quite as ready as others to recognise the advantage if they are carried out firmly and impartially.

After dinner, when the decks have been washed down and dried, the people should be encouraged to sing to their drums, play cards, wrestle, or follow any other amusement except dancing, which from its character among these people, I have a decided objection to.

At 8 p.., except in very hot nights, all the people should be below, and the Surgeon Superintendent shoull go round the coolie deek and see that all is quiet and in order, inspect and regulate the ventilation and take the temperatures, and afterwards visit the hospital and give orders for the night. At this visit, as at all other times when he visits the coolie deck, all the sirdars, except those on duty at the hatches, should be at their posts below, and he should be accom- panied by both his interpreters and compounders and by the third mate.

After this visit he will make out his requisition for the articles of diet, medical comforts, &c., wanted for the next day and hand it to the third mate, which will under ordinary circumstances, finish the duty for the day.

THE ENGINEER IN CHARGE of the CondeNSER Has also to supply and regulate the steam for cooking, and should be up and have fire in the furnace in time to give steam not later than 5.30 a.m., as when there is kitcherrie for break- fast it will require from 2 to 24 hours boiling. When not giving steam for cooking he should be condensing water, and most boilers give steam enough to do the cooking and condense about one-third the quantity of water they can supply when condensing alone. My plan is to work the condenser so as to have at least 5 days' full supply left iu the con- densing tank after all issues, in case of a breakdown. A good rule of thumb for calculating the contents of a tank is to multiply the cubic contents in feet by 61, which gives a result near enough for all practical purposes, and saves the longer method of dividing the cubic contents in inches by 277-27.4. Condensed water alone should be used for drinking, and, to ensure this, no other water should be allowed in the issuing tanks, which should be frequently examined and cleaned out when necessary. The Surgeon

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Superintendent should take an early opportunity of testing the purity of all the waters on board by Nitrate of Silver and Permanganate of Potash and any other tests he may possess. I make the engineer keep a book showing the number of hours daily he has been at work cooking and condensing, with the quantity of water condensed, and the quantity remaining in the condensing tank, and the expenditure of fuel, which is brought for inspection once a week. Some of the colonies allow him a gratuity if he has done his work to the satisfaction of the Surgeon Superintendent, and I think it is well earned.

SIRDARS

Are appointed by the Emigration Agent, but the Surgeon Superintendent can disrate them for any negligence or incompetence, and appoint others in their places, and in selecting these, he should chouse men of good caste as likely to have more influence over the rest of the coolies than men of low caste. A good selection is especially necessary in appointing the Head Sirdar, and if the Surgeon Superintendent has confidence in this man it is no bad plan to allow him a voice in the choice of a man when a vacancy occurs. The Sirdars' authority as "head ment should be firmly supported, but they should be as firmly checked if they exceed their duty or show favouritism to any coolie. If a Sirdar commits any slight offence I have him brought forward at the afternoon inspection, and put his badge on the left arm as a mark that he is on "probation," and replace it on his right arm after a few days' good conduct; but if it is necessary to disrate him for disgraceful conduct, I send for a Topaz to take his badge off. I enter here a memo- randum of Sirdars' duties which I make the Senior Inter- preter translate to them on first going on board, and satisfy myself that they are understood,

I. The Sirdars will have charge of divisions on the coolie Duties. deck which will be pointed out to them, and should make themselves acquainted with all the coolies in their divisions, and see that none but these are allowed to remain there. They are responsible for any misconduct or irregularity occurring in their "chalins," and must at once report it.

II They will be present and see that the coolies detailed for cleaning the coolie deck do their work properly under the direction of Baboo--Junior Compounder.

III. They will be present at their respective divisions, except those on duty at the hatches, when the Surgeon

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C.O.

Reference :-

885

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

411 885 /

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO