CHINESE LABOURERS.
No. 18.
270
PAPERS RELATIVE TO EMIGRATION OF
of the people of India," and give your sanction to that free intercourse which ought to subsist between all parts of Her Majesty's dominions.
The view which your Lordship continues to take in regard to the effect of any immigration it is possible to carry into operation being greatly over-rated by parties interested in the cultivation of sugar, implies doubt both with respect to the possibility of finding a sufficient number of willing emigrants, and of providing the funds requisite for their conveyance. After the most deferential consideration of this opinion, the West India body do not see reason to entertain any doubt upon either of these points, if free intercourse were permitted. Agreeing with your Lordship as to the important moral effect which may be produced by even a limited immigration, they have not confined their expectations of relief to any definite addition to the agricultural population. They have always contemplated the general influence of a continuous immigration as the principal means to which they could trust for restoring beneficial cultivation, and they conceive that desirable object might be speedily attained. But for the prohibitions laid upon proprietors, it would probably have been already accomplished by their individual exertions; and still more certainly if a system of immigration, combining limited contracts and modified bounties, had been early adopted.
The only colony in the West Indies which has received a regular influx of suitable immigrants, though they have come chiefly from the other islands, is Trinidad, and there the consequences have been remarkable. The decline of the cultivation has never been nearly so great as in Jamaica or Guiana; and according to the progressive accession of labourers has been the progressive restoration of production. As regards the expense of procuring this accession, it will be found that the colony has actually received in augmented revenue alone, arising from duties on exports and imports attributable to the immigrants, more than the amount of bounties paid for those whose labour can be included in the estimate. It is nevertheless true that Trinidad still suffers severely from an insufficiency of labour. The first effect of immigration is, of course, to stay decline; but, even after it has been extensive enough to cause a partial recovery, the expense of cultivation may, as in this case, absorb all the produce, and no clear income can be expected to accrue until the available population and fixed capital shall be brought into just proportion, and competition for employment made to take the place of competition for labour. In Mauritius, the only colony to which emigration from India has been again permitted, this transition seems about to be completed, and confidence restored.
The West India body never imagined that the social revolution from which they have so grievously suffered could be accomplished without inconvenience; but they confidently trusted that the influence of Her Majesty's Government would be vigorously exerted to preserve the value of their property; that not only would the emancipated slaves be encouraged, by all practicable means, to apply themselves to the cultivation of the staple products of the colonies, but that every possible facility would be accorded for the purpose of obtaining substitutes for those who might withdraw from field-labour, or engage in other occupations.
Although this reasonable expectation has been hitherto disappointed, and the object which it was the undoubted wish of your Lordship to effect has not yet been attained, they would fain hope that redress will no longer be withheld; and that your Lordship, as the public guardian of their interests, will at length enable them to realize the promised benefits of freedom, and thus avert the disastrous consequences which must otherwise ensue.
I have, &c.
The Right Hon. Lord Stanley,
&c. &c.
Sir,
&c.
No. 18.
CHARLES CAVE, Chairman.
Copy of a LETTER from G. W. HOPE, Esq., to CHARLES CAVE, Esq.
Downing-street, November 6, 1843.
I AM directed by Lord Stanley to acknowledge the receipt of the letter which, on behalf of the West Indian body, you addressed to his Lordship on the 19th ultimo, on the subject of emigration to the West Indies; and in reference to your statement that the Order of Her Majesty in Council of the 4th of January last, allowing contracts to be entered into with the free coloured people of North
271
236
CHINESE LABOURERS TO THE WEST INDIES.
America has been rendered ineffective, in consequence of the officers to be appointed for its execution not having been nominated, am to inform you that on the 1st of March last Lord Stanley addressed Despatches to the Governors of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, directing them to appoint one or more members of their governments to grant certificates to the parties applying for them, on payment of a small fee. Although no official notification has been received of the appointment of these officers, Lord Stanley cannot doubt but that had application been made to the respective governments in those colonies, no difficulty would have been experienced by any parties in obtaining the necessary certificate.
I am further directed to express Lord Stanley's regret that the perusal of the evidence taken before the West African Committee has left upon his mind an impression directly opposed to the conclusions you draw from it, as to the degree of freedom possessed by the lower class of Africans in the native states, and the practicability of carrying on, from thence, a bona fide free emigration.
Lord Stanley further regrets to learn that, notwithstanding the caution by which the first announcement of the permission of Coolie immigration into the Mauritius was accompanied, as well as the frequent explanations and repetitions of the statement then made that the step was to be considered experimental only, he has been unsuccessful in guarding Her Majesty's Government against the inference that all restrictions, as regards the West Indies, ought to be removed at once, and without even awaiting the result of the experiment in progress in the much less difficult case of Mauritius.
Charles Cave, Esq. &c. &c.
No. 19.
I am, &c.
G. W. HOPE.
Copy of a LETTER from CHARLES CAVE, Esq., to Lord STANLEY.
West India Committee Rooms, 12, Old Jewry,
November 15, 1843.
My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from Mr. Hope, written by direction of your Lordship, under the date of the 6th instant; and, having communicated the same to the Committee of the West India body, I am desired to express the extreme disappointment it has occasioned, intimating as it does your Lordship's intention to maintain, for an indefinite period, the restrictions under which the West India proprietors have so long suffered; or, at least, that the concessions of their just claims may still be postponed to other, and inferior, considerations.
As they cannot doubt that your Lordship is sincerely disposed to promote the prosperity of the West India Colonies, and that you must feel an especial interest in the complete success of emancipation, it seems to this Committee impossible that Her Majesty's Government can be fully acquainted with their real condition, and yet continue to withhold the only remedial measures by which these objects may be attained, especially as, if they were even now granted a considerable time must necessarily elapse before they could become effective.
The West India body are indeed aware, from the Despatches published by the Colonial Department, that some years ago (as particularly shown by one addressed on the 15th of February, 1840, to the Governor of Guiana,) the great decline in the production of sugar, and even the possibility of its utter extinction, were regarded with indifference, if not with complacency; and that it was deemed a secondary question" "how to maintain the natural prosperity of our West India Colonies, promote the cultivation of products for which the climate is adapted, and keep up, if not increase, the consumption of British manufactures.” They have also observed that certain Governors and other functionaries, thus countenanced, and concerned also to make their own administration appear successful, have constantly reported the colonies in which they are placed as being in a state of prosperity, though it was notorious that their cultivation was sustained at a great sacrifice.
While these opinions prevailed with Her Majesty's Government, it was impossible to expect that any measures comprehending the interests of all classes, proprietors as well as labourers-should be considered without prejudice.
But this Committee cannot ascribe to your Lordship sentiments so much at variance with the views expounded in your Despatch to the Governor
No. 19.
CHINESE LABOURERS.
No. 18.
270
PAPERS RELATIVE TO EMIGRATION OF
of the people of India," and give your sanction to that free intercourse which ought to subsist between all parts of Her Majesty's dominions.
The view which your Lordship continues to take in regard to the effect of any immigration it is possible to carry into operation being greatly over-rated by parties interested in the cultivation of sugar, implies doubt both with respect to the possi- bility of finding a sufficient number of willing emigrants, and of providing the funds requisite for their conveyance. After the most deferential consideration of this opinion, the West India body do not see reason to entertain any doubt upon either of these points, if free intercourse were permitted. Agreeing with your Lordship as to the important moral effect which may be produced by even a limited immigra- tion, they have not confined their expectations of relief to any definite addition to the agricultural population. They have always contemplated the general influence of a continuous immigration as the principal means to which they could trust for restoring beneficial cultivation, and they conceive that desirable object might be speedily attained. But for the prohibitions laid upon proprietors, it would probably have been already accomplished by their individual exertions; and still more cer- tainly if a system of immigration, combining limited contracts and modified bounties, had been early adopted. The only colony in the West Indies which has received a regular influx of suitable immigrants, though they have come chiefly from the other islands, is Trinidad, and there the consequences have been remarkable, The decline of the cultivation has never been nearly so great as in Jamaica or Guiana; and according to the progressive accession of labourers has been the progressive restora- tion of production. As regards the expense of procuring this accession, it will be found that the colony has actually received in augmented revenue alone, arising from duties on exports and imports attributable to the immigrants, more than the amount of bounties paid for those whose labour can be included in the estimate. It is nevertheless true that Trinidid still suffers severely from an insufficiency of labour. The first effect of immigration is, of course, to stay decline; but, even after it has been extensive enough to cause a partial recovery, the expense of cultivation
may, as in this case, absorb all the produce, and no clear income can be expected to accrue until the available population and fixed capital shall be brought into just proportion, and competition for employment made to take the place of competition for labour. In Mauritius, the only colony to which emigration from India has been again per- mitted, this transition seems about to be completed, and confidence restored.
The West India body never imagined that the social revolution from which they have so grievously suffered could be accomplished without inconvenience; but they confidently trusted that the influence of Her Majesty's Government would be vigo- rously exerted to preserve the value of their property; that not only would the eman- cipated slaves be encouraged, by all practicable means, to apply themselves to the cul- tivation of the staple products of the colonies, but that every possible facility would be accorded for the purpose of obtaining substitutes for those who might withdraw from field-labour, or engage in other occupations.
Although this reasonable expectation has been hitherto disappointed, and the object which it was the undoubted wish of your Lordship to effect has not yet been attained, they would fain hope that redress will no longer be withheld; and that your Lordship, as the public guardian of their interests, will at length enable them to realize the promised benefits of freedom, and thus avert the disastrous conse quences which must otherwise ensue.
I have, &c.
The Right Hon. Lord Stanley,
&c. Sze.
Sir,
&c.
No. 18.
CHARLES CAVE, Chairman.
Cory of a LETTER from G. W. HOPE, Esq., to CHARLES CAVE, Esq.
Downing-street, November 6, 1843.
I AM directed by Lord Stanley to acknowledge the receipt of the letter which, on behalf of the West Indian body, you addressed to his Lordship on the 19th ultimo, on the subject of emigration to the West Indies; and in reference to your statement that the Order of Her Majesty in Council of the 4th of January last, allowing contracts to be entered into with the free coloured people of North
271
236
CHINESE
CHINESE LABOURERS TO THE WEST INDIES. America has been rendered ineffective, in consequence of the officers to be appointed for its execution not having been nominated, am to inform you that on the 1st of LABOURERS. March last Lord Stanley addressed Despatches to the Governors of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, directing them to appoint one or more members of their governments to grant certificates to the parties applying for them, on pay- ment of a small fee. Although no official notification has been received of the appointment of these officers, Lord Stanley cannot doubt but that had application been made to the respective governments in those colonies, no difficulty would have been experienced by any parties in obtaining the necessary certificate. I am further directed to express Lord Stanley's regret that the perusal of the evidence taken before the West African Committee has left upon his mind an impression directly opposed to the conclusions you draw from it, as to the degree of freedom possessed by the lower class of Africans in the native states, and the practicability of carrying on, from thence, a bond fida free emigration.
Lord Stanley further regrets to learn that, notwithstanding the caution by which the first announcement of the permission of Coolie immigration into the Mauritius was accompanied, as well as the frequent explanations and repetitions of the state- ment then made that the step was to be considered experimental only, he has been unsuccessful in guarding Her Majesty's Government against the inference that all restrictions, as regards the West Indies, ought to be removed at once, and without even awaiting the result of the experiment in progress in the much less difficult case of Mauritius.
Charles Cave, Esq. &c. &c.
No. 19.
I am, &c.
G. W. HOPE.
Copy of a LETTER from CHARLES CAVE, Esq., to Lord STANLEY.
West India Committee Rooms, 12, Old Jewry,
November 15, 1843.
My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from Mr. Hope, written by direction of your Lordship, under the date of the 6th instant; and, hav- ing communicated the same to the Committee of the West India body, I am desired to express the extreme disappointment it has occasioned, intimating as it does your Lordship's intention to maintain, for an indefinite period, the restrictions under which the West India proprietors have so long suffered; or, at least, that the con- cessions of their just claims may still be postponed to other, and inferior, considera- tions. As they cannot doubt that your Lordship is sincerely disposed to promote the prosperity of the West India Colonies, and that you must feel an especial interest in the complete success of emancipation, it seems to this Committee impos- sible that Her Majesty's Government can be fully acquainted with their real condi- tion, and yet continue to withhold the only remedial measures by which these objects may be attained, especially as, if they were even now granted a consi- derable time must necessarily elapse before they could become effective. The West India body are indeed aware, from the Despatches published by the Colonial Department, that some years ago (as particularly shown by one addressed on the 15th of February, 1840, to the Governor of Guiana,) the great decline in the production of sugar, and even the possibility of its utter extinction, were regarded with indifference, if not with complacency; and that it was deemed a secondary question" "how to maintain the natural prosperity of our West India Colonies, promote the cultivation of products for which the climate is adapted, and keep up, if not increase, the consumption of British manufactures.” They have also observed that certain Governors and other functionaries, thus countenanced, and concerned also to make their own administration appear suc- cessful, have constantly reported the colonies in which they are placed as being in a state of prosperity, though it was notorious that their cultivation was sustained at a great sacrifice. While these opinions prevailed with Her Majesty's Govern- ment, it was impossible to expect that any measures comprehending the interests of all classes, proprietors as well as labourers-should be considered without prejudice. But this Committee cannot ascribe to your Lordship sentiments so much at variance with the views expounded in your Despatch to the Governor
No. 19.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.