Immigrants to Canada

Immigration Report of 1837 for Australia

The following information was extracted from the British Parliamentary Papers.

(very long debate as to the emigration of people from India)
"...when the monsoons are adverse, the voyages from Sydney to Calcutta, and from Calcutta to Sydney, are not unfrequently four months and upwards; witness the voyages of the Mary, William Harris, and Vestal, within the last twelve months."
(a number of letters appear from Flock-owners and others in New South Wales in support of allowing Indian labourers to emigrate.) - letters and testimony from John Mackay; Thomas Porter Biscoe; John G. Collins; Captain John Revell; Duncan Mackellar; Robert Scott; Charles Bury; J.R. Mayo; Mr. J.B. Howard; Thomas Porter M'Queen; William C. Wentworth; William Morgan; Robert Towns; John Edye Manning; James Bowman; Joseph Hickey Grose; Henry O'Brien; Lieut.-Col. H. Dumaresq; Thomas Baker; Colonel J.T. Leahy; George Cox; William Lason; Alick Osborne; David Thompson; Sir John Jamison; H.H. M'Arthur; John Blaxland; Alexander Berry.
Testimony of Robert Towns, Command of the ship Brothers - "...One case in point occurred among the emigrants brought out by me in the "Brothers." It was that of a man named George Butt, who, with his wife and six children, would have been refused by the Board of Examination, in consequence of his age exceeding the prescribed limits, had it not been for the kind assistance of major Macarthur and the parish from which he came, by whom his passage-money was paid. The conduct of this family throughout the voyage was most unexceptionable. I may here also instance the cases of two families in Lincolnshire, who were actually rejected, although the ages of the men did not exceed 34 or 35, and the women were not above 30 to 32, one with a family of seven children, the other with one of six; three or four of whom in each family were grown-up boys and girls, capable of performing the labour of adults. ..."
(Above testimony continues). "... Norris - one child above seven years and three children under seven years; Wright - one child above seven years and three children under seven years; J. Wicks - two children under seven years; Cox - one child under seven years; Gumbleton - two children under seven years; Arnold - one child under seven years; R. Wicks - two children under seven years; New - two children under seven years." (Sailed with 14 married couples, two single men and 18 children)
(Above testimony continues) "...The woman who conducted the school on board the "Brothers" was remunerated for her trouble by Mr. Macarthur with a gratuity of, I thin, 5 Ł."
(Testimony of James Bowman, late Inspector-general of Hospitals) "...and I am much in want of servants at my own establishment, although I engaged a considerable number of immigrants lately arrived by the "Lady Macnaughten."
(Testimony of Alick Osborne, R.N., Surgeon Superintendent of the ship Adam Lodge, with Emigrants from Ireland) "...I was authorized to charter a suitable vessel on the part of Government, and I did charter the Adam Lodge, a first-class British-built ship of 567 tons, with a height between decks of about seven feet; the owners furnishing the provisions of prime quality at 6Ł. 10s. Per head, according to the annexed scale for adult males and females, rating children in the proportions specified in the Passenger Act. In this agreement were included rations, bedding, wine, medicines and medical comforts. We also issued potatoes at the rate of 6lbs. Per week, to each adult, in addition to the rations, and the owners were compensated by the consequent saving of bread. The issue of potatoes continued from the 29^th of March, the day we sailed from Londonderry, till the 1^st of June, and was of the utmost advantage to the emigrants. The number of emigrants embarked was about 86 married men, 86 married women, 30 single women, and 200 children, equal to 287˝ adults, estimated according to Act of Parliament, and which was 13 less than the number the ship might have taken, according to her tonnage, independent of her crew, and which, of course, caused the rate of expense for each emigrant to be higher than it would have been if the number had been complete. This deficiency in numbers is accounted for by my instructions from the Government precluding my entering one individual beyond the prescribed number the ship could take, lest disappointment to such individual should ensue; ... Notwithstanding the high rate of freight at which the Adam Lodge was engaged, the sum of 18Ł for each adult, and in the proportions for children prescribed by the Act, will fully cover all the expense of their passage, but not that of my agency and superintendence; ...Of the emigrants embarked, only three adults died of apparent disease; two of consumption, and one of pleurisy; two others sudden death, asphyxia; twelve infants of marasmus, or general decay of nature, one of croup, four of worms, and six of influenza, none of which diseases are, in my opinion, attributable to the confinement in the ship, or to the provisions. The scale of rations hereto annexed is in my opinion nearly perfect, unless that I think pease and cheese might be omitted, and oatmeal substituted for flour, in, perhaps, Irish and Scotch ships. The rules adopted by me for the preservation of order and cleanliness, when not voluntarily submitted to, were enforced by mulcting the offending parties of a portion of their rations and comforts, for a period proportioned to the offence, and I found the power, thus assumed by me, sufficient and ample for all salutary and necessary control over them."
Statement, transmitted from the Quarantine Station, by David Thompson, Esq., R.N., Surgeon Superintendent of the Ship "John Barry," with Emigrants from Scotland, in reply to questions from the Committee. "I am not aware to what extent useful emigrants to these colonies can be procured from Dundee, and other ports in Scotland; but I am of opinion that the port of Leith or of Glasgow would, either of them, be preferable to Dundee, as I think the emigrants would be sooner collected, and from a superior class of mechanics. Of the persons embarked at Dundee, there were 79 married couples, three single men and eight single women, and 150 children of all ages. Three adults have died, one of fever, occasioned by exposure to the hot sun at St. Jago, one of malignant scarlet fever, and lately one of typhus. Twenty-three children have died of various diseases, but mostly of affections of the bowels, arising from unsuitable food. The number of deaths is certainly greater than would likely have taken place had they remained in their native country. The tonnage of the ship is 524 tons; she is an old ship, not particularly leaky, but admitted water both by leakage and down the hatchways, during the run from the Cape of Good Hope to Port Jackson, the weather having been generally boisterous. She was the reverse of comfortable in her 'tween decks, being encumbered with luggage to such a degree, that in bad weather, when most persons were below, it was difficult to pass from one end of the ship to the other. The provisions and water were wholesome, and served in sufficient quantities. I had the usual medical comforts supplied to convict ships. The allownace of a pint of porter daily to women suckling would certainly be conducive to their health, and that of their infants; but I consider the most dangerous period for young children to be that between the time of weaning and their attaining about the age of three years. The allowance to these latter of half a pint of preserved milk daily, would, I am of opinion, save many lives. While the weather was warm the 'tween decks were frequently washed, being the mode of cleaning to which the emigrants had been accustomed. The decks wee in general scraped and sanded; to assist the operation of scraping, a little sprinkling was necessary, the deck being almost always in a dirty state, from the inveterate habit of the emigrants of throwing all kinds of rubbish, refuse victuals, &c., at their feet on the deck, which, therefore, never remained long in a clean state. The emigrants were almost invariably quiet and orderly. All disputes between individuals were referred to a committee of their own number, elected by themselves; few instances occurred of their interference being required. I had no other ground of complaint than their inattention to cleanliness. An insurmountable difficulty, in preserving due cleanliness and ventilation, arose from the enormous quantity of luggage they were permitted to bring on board, the whole of which was stowed between decks. Emigrants ought to be restricted, both in the number and dimensions of the chests or packages they bring with them, and this regulation should be most rigorously enforced. I feel a difficulty in suggesting any measures that would give the surgeon-superintendent useful authority in enforcing cleanliness. The circumstance of their being allowed a free passage appears to create in them a feeling of their own importance, and consequent unwillingness to be directed or advised. It would certainly be preferable that the emigrants should come out under the charge of the agent who selected them, as they would, in that case, be more likely to comply with those terms which they had been previously told would be enforced, than in charge of a stranger who had no acquaintance with them previous to embarkation. The 'tween decks were frequently sprinkled with chloride of lime in solution; but not whitewashed, as this could not be done without soiling the bed-places and clothes of the emigrants; neither was there on board whiting for the purpose. The hanging stoves were frequently used, but less advantageously, on account of the luggage in the 'tween decks. Sand and scrapers were generally used in cleaning the decks and berths...." (Goes on to talk about the food.)