(18)
104. The difficulties that will have to be encountered in the attempt to establish female and family Emigration from China to the British West India Colonies may be gathered from a paragraph in the published reports of Mr. Cecil Smith, the Registrar General of Hong Kong, on the census of last year; but at the same time it is encouraging, showing as it does that the prejudices of the natives on that point are to be overcome. Mr. Smith says:— "I would now next draw attention to Return No. 3, which shows that during "the past year, a fair increase in the number of buildings for the Chinese, "and in the number of families, viz., 189, over the previous year, which "settled in the Colony. This latter point is, I hold, of considerable importance as evincing a gradual surmounting on the part of native residents, "of old prejudices, formerly deemed insurmountable by many, against bringing their wives and families to live in a British Colony, or indeed in 'any place out of their own country."
CALCUTTA,
17th July, 1868.
THORNTON WARNER,
Emigration Agent for Trinidad at Calcutta.
SINCE this Report was printed, several numbers of the "China Mail" have come to hand, from which I have extracted the following regarding two ships, the "Esperance," and the "Theresa," (See Appendix No. 7) that left Macao in the early part of this year.
Page 65
China Mail of the 26th June 1868.- From Table Bay is reported a serious mutiny of “coolies, 300 of whom were on board the French ship "Esperance," 391 tons, Captain Noel, from Macao, January 5th, for Havannah, which put into the bay on 25th March for water "and provisions. The following are the particulars of the affair: - The coolies were confined below, and were apparently as unwilling voyagers as English convicts en route for an Australian settlement. On the passage they made a desperate effort to recover their liberty. “The vessel left Macao in charge of her owner, Captain Boyce. On her fifteenth day at sea "a fresh breeze sprang up, which necessitated her sail being reduced rapidly. The crew not being strong enough to do this by themselves, 50 of the coolies were brought up from below "to assist in shortening sail. They were distributed about in gangs, and the crew went aloft "to reef and furl. While the crew were aloft, the coolies rushed into the cabin to get at the arms. Captain Boyce, who was at the wheel, left it, and called to the crew, and rushed in "to the saloon sword in hand after the coolies, who were just getting out the ship's arms. "A desperate conflict ensued, in which Captain Boyce was very severely wounded, and narrowly escaped with his life before the crew came to his assistance. The coolies were at length got under, their leader being killed in the émeute. Captain Boyce had subsequently to be left at Aujir for a passage, via Batavia to England. The "Esperance" left Table Bay, March 28th for Havannah.”
Page 66
China Mail of the 18th July 1868.- "I drop you a few lines, which I am sure you will give space to. The Italian ship "Theresa" arrived in Macao yesterday morning, having "left the above named port for Callao about five months ago, and brings with her one of the "most dreadful tales of mutiny which I have heard for many years.
"It appears from the statement of the Captain, Bolos, that she sailed from Macao with 296 coolies, and general cargo of silk, tea, &c., on the 3rd of February last. Things seem "to have been as usual, and after a passage of sixty-two days, land was sighted, which proved to be New Zealand. While the men were employed in the fore part of the ship, a "rush was made aft by the coolies to seize the cabin and arms, which they accomplished, "and before ten minutes had elapsed, twelve of the crew were killed, cut to pieces, and "thrown overboard; the second mate was also killed on the top-gallant fore-castle while fighting manfully by one of the ship's crew who shot him with a rifle to save his own life. "The mate had seventeen wounds and was placed in irons, and after eighty days' torture, "such as driving nails into his head, &c., was killed about two days before the ship arrived "off the coast of China. But now comes the most horrid part of this story. The Hakkas "and Puntis, after the ship was taken, had a free fight, and in less than two hours fifty were killed and their heads taken off; after which they were placed in boxes and put in the "ship's hold. The stench after sixty days was dreadful, and to add to this the Captain's "wife was placed in the 'tween decks, and not treated with the greatest kindness.
"There is no doubt but the greater part of the coolies were pirates, as they made the Captain steer for the harbour of Tin-pack, and had quite a knowledge of the use of the compass and of the chart.
"The ship, after anchoring in the port of Tin-pack, was stripped of everything of value, "and in this plunder we are informed, the Mandarins gave every assistance. The ship's "name was taken off all her boats, and after many trials she reached Macao Roads yesterday "with a crew of about eight Europeans alive, including the Captain's wife."
These fearful results I attribute entirely to the pernicious system prevailing at Macao.
THORNTON WARNER.
Calcutta, 11th August 1868.
Page 796
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104. The difficulties that will have to be encountered in the attempt to establish female and family Emigration from China to the British West India Colonies may be gathered from a paragraph in the published reports of Mr. Cecil Smith, the Registrar General of Hong Kong, on the census of last year; but at the same time it is encouraging, showing as it does that the pre- judices of the natives on that point are to be overcome. Mr. Smith, says:— "I would now next draw attention to Return No. 3, which shews that during "the past year, a fair increase in the number of buildings for the Chinese, "and in the number of families, viz., 189, over the previous year, which "settled in the Colony. This latter point is, I hold, of considerable impor- "tance as evincing a gradual surmounting on the part of native residents, "of old prejudices, formerly deemed insurmountable by many, against bringing their wives and families to live in a British Colony, or indeed in 'any place out of their own country."
แ
CALCUTTA,
17th July, 1868.
THORNTON WARNER,
Emigration Agent for Trinidad at Calcutta.
SINCE this Report was printed, several numbers of the "China Mail" have come to hand, from which I have extracted the following regarding two ships, the "Esperance," and the "Theresa," (See Appendix No. 7) that left Macao in the early part of this year.
65
China Mail of the 26th June 1868.- From Table Bay is reported a serious mutiny of “coolies, 300 of whom were on board the French ship" Esperance," 391 tons, Captain Noel, from Macao, January 5th, for Havannah, which put into the bay on 25th March for water "and provisions. The following are the particulars of the affair :---The coolies were confined below, and were apparently as unwilling voyagers as English convicts en route for an Aus- "tralian settlement. On the passage they made a desperate effort to recover their liberty. “The vessel left Macao in charge of her owner, Captain Boyce. On her fifteenth day at sea "a fresh breeze sprang up, which necessitated her sail being reduced rapidly. The crew not
being strong enough to do this by themselves, 50 of the coolies were brought up from below "to assist in shortening sail. They were distributed about in gangs, and the crew went aloft "to reef and furl. While the crew were aloft, the coolies rushed into the cabin to get at the arms. Captain Boyce, who was at the wheel, left it, and called to the crew, and rushed in. "to the saloon sword in hand after the coolies, who were just getting out the ship's arms. "A desperate conflict ensued, in which Captain Boyce was very severely wounded, and nar-
<
66
43
rowly escaped with his life before the crew came to his assistance. The coolies were at length got under, their leader being killed in the émeute. Captain Boyce had subsequent-
ly to be left at Aujir for a passage, vid Batavia to England. The "Esperance" left Table Bay, March 28th for Havannah.”
China Mail of the 18th July 1863.-" I drop you a few lines, which I am sure you will give space to. The Italian ship" Theresa" arrived in Macao yesterday morning, having " left the above named port for Callao about five months ago, and brings with her one of the "most dreadful tales of mutiny which I have heard for many years.
If
"It appears from the statement of the Captain, Bolos, that she sailed from Macao with #296 coolies, and general cargo of silk, tea, &t., on the 3rd of February last. Things seem "to have been as usual, and after a passage of sixty-two days, land was sighted, which proved to be New Zealand. While the men were employed in the fore part of the ship, a "rush was made aft by the coolies to sieze the cabin and arms, which they accomplished, "and before ten minutes had elapsed, twelve of the crew were killed, cut to pieces, and "thrown overboard; the second mate was also killed on the top-gallant fore-castle while life. "fighting manfully by one of the ship's crew who shot him with a rifle to save his own "The mate had seventeen wounds and was placed in irons, and after eighty day's torture, "such as driving nails into his head, &c., was killed about two days before the ship arrived "off the coast of China. But now comes the most horrid part of this story. The Hakkas "and Puntis, after the ship was taken, had a free fight, and in less than two hours fifty were killed and their heads taken off; after which they were placed in boxes and put in the "ship's hold. The stench after sixty days was dreadful, and to ald to this the Captain's "wife was placed in the 'tween decks, and not treated with the greatest kindness.
fi
"There is no doubt but the greater part of the coolies were pirates, as they made the Captain steer for the harbour of Tin-pack, and had quite a knowledge of the use of the compass and of the chart.
"The ship, after anchoring in the port of Tin-pack, was stripped of every thing of value, " and in this plander we are informed, the Mandarins gave every assistance. The ship's "name was taken off all her boats, and after many trials she reached Macao Roads yesterday "with a crew of about eight Europeans alive, including the Captain's wife."
These fearful results I attribute entirely to the pernicious system prevailing at Macao.
THORNTON WARNER.
Calcutta, 11th August 1868,
796
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