As it is my wish to put nothing but trustworthy information into the
hands of those who may be meditating so very important a step as
removing themselves and all that they value far from their native land,
I have carefully abstracted the following statements from the last
_Colonisation Circular_, issued (March, 1850) by Her Majesty's Colonial
Land and Emigration Commissioners.
"The Government Emigration Officers in the United Kingdom, are:--London:
Lieut. Lean, R.N., Office, 70, Lower Thames-Street. Liverpool: Lieut.
Hodder, R.N., Stanley Buildings. Plymouth: Lieut. Carew, R.N. Glasgow
and Greenock: Capt. Patey, R.N. Dublin: Lieut. Henry, R.N. Cork: Lieut.
Friend, R.N. Belfast: Lieut. Stark, R.N. Limerick: Mr Lynch, R.N.
Sligo, Donegal, Ballina etc: Lieut. Shuttleworth, R.N.; Lieut.
Moriarty, R.N. Londonderry: Lieut. Ramsay, R.N. Waterford and New Res.
Comm. Ellis, R.N.
"These officers act under the immediate directions of the Colonial Land
and Emigration Commissioners, and the following is a summary of their
duties:
"They procure and give gratuitously information as to the sailing of
ships, and means of accommodation for emigrants, and whenever applied to
for that purpose, they see that any agreements between shipowners,
agents or masters, and intending emigrants are duly performed. They
also see that the provisions of the Passengers' Act are strictly
complied with, viz., that passenger-vessels are sea-worthy, that they
have on board a sufficient supply of provisions, water, medicines, etc,
and that they sail with proper punctuality.
"They attend personally at their offices on every week-day and afford
gratuitously all the assistance in their power to protect intending
emigrants against fraud and imposition, and to obtain redress where
oppression or injury has been practised on them.
"The Government Immigration Agents at the Cape of Good Hope, are--Cape
Town: R. Southey, Esq. Port Elizabeth: D.P. Francis, Esq.
"The duties of these officers are to afford gratuitously to emigrants
every assistance in their power by way of advice and information as to
the districts where employment can be obtained most readily, and upon
the most advantageous terms, and also as to the best modes of reaching
such districts.
"The rate of passage in private ships to the Cape of Good Hope and Natal
is:
"At the Cape of Good Hope, persons of the following classes, if of good
character and ability in their callings, are stated to be in demand;
viz. agricultural labourers, shepherds, female domestic and farm
servants, and a few country mechanics, such as blacksmiths,
wheelwrights, carpenters, and masons."
Of the rates of wages the Commissioners give the following Tables from
the latest official returns in their possession:
As very many persons who would be most useful in the Colonies have no
means of their own for proceeding thither, various provisions have been
made to assist them. Thus the Emigration Commissioners "grant passages
to those Colonies (only) which provide the necessary funds for the
purpose. These funds, which in the Australian Colonies are derived from
sales or rents of crown lands, are intended not for the purposes of
relief to persons in this country, but to supply the colonists with the
particular description of labour of which they stand most in need. New
South Wales, South Australia, and the Cape of Good Hope, are at present
the only Colonies which supply the means for emigration."
The Poor Law Commissioners, too, are enabled to assist in emigration,
and the guardians of the poor in parishes are by them allowed to raise
sums of money for the purpose, of which they "may expend a sum not
exceeding 3 pence a mile in conveying each emigrant above seven years of
age to the port of embarkation, and a sum not exceeding 1.5 pence a mile
in conveying each child under seven years of age.
"The guardians may give to each emigrant proceeding to the Cape of Good
Hope, clothing to the value of 2 pounds, and may expend a sum not
exceeding 1 pound for each person above fourteen, and 10 shillings for
every child above one and under fourteen years of age, and in cases of
free emigration, 2 pounds for every single man above eighteen years of
age, in the purchase of bedding and utensils for the voyage."
The following are the regulations and conditions under which emigrants
are selected by the Emigration Commissioners for passages to the Cape of
Good Hope:
"_Description of Emigrants_.
"1. The emigrants must consist principally of married couples, not
above forty years of age. All the adults must be capable of labour, and
must be going out to work for wages. The candidates most acceptable are
young married couples without children.
"2. The separation of husbands from wives, and of parents from children
under sixteen will in no case be allowed.
"3. Except in special cases, single women under eighteen are not
eligible, unless they are emigrating with their parents, or under the
immediate care of some near married relatives.
"4. Young men under eighteen, not accompanying their parents, are
admissible only on payment of the sum in third class of the scale.
"5. No emigrants, whether adults or children can be accepted unless
they have been vaccinated, or have had the smallpox.
"6. Persons intending to buy land in the colony, or to invest capital
in trade there, are not eligible for a passage.
"7. Persons in the habitual receipt of parish relief cannot be taken.
Temporary inmates of workhouses, or persons not in the habitual receipt
of parish relief, will be charged under the third class.
"8. No applicant will be accepted without decisive certificates of good
character, and of proficiency in his professed trade or calling.
"These rules will also apply generally to emigrants to Natal in case
they be proposed for a passage by purchasers of land, or in case funds
should be provided for carrying on emigration at the public expense.
The persons eligible for passages to Natal would be agricultural
labourers, mechanics, skilled labourers, and small farmers accustomed to
some manual labour, and intending to work for their subsistence.
Deposits to the credit of the Commissioners do not exempt the depositors
from the payment of survey fees.
"_Application and Approval_.
"9. Applications must be made in a form to be obtained at the office of
the Commissioners, which must be duly filled up and attested, as
explained in the form itself, and then forwarded to this office, with
certificates of birth and marriage of the applicants. It must, however,
be distinctly understood, that the filling up of the form confers no
claim to a passage; and that the Commissioners do not pledge themselves
to accept any candidates, though apparently within the regulations,
unless they are deemed desirable for the colony, and can be accepted
consistently with the Board's arrangements at the time the application
is under consideration.
"10. If approved of, the emigrants will receive a passage as soon as
the arrangements of the Commissioners will admit. But no preparations
must on any account be made by the applicants, either by withdrawing
from employment or otherwise, until the decision of the Board has been
communicated to them. Those who fail to attend to this warning will do
so at their own risk, and will have no claim whatever on the
Commissioners.
"Before an embarkation order is issued, the following payments will be
required from all persons of fourteen years and upwards.
"All children under fourteen will pay 10 shillings each; and if any
family contains, at the time of embarkation, more than two children
under fourteen years of age, for each such child 5 shillings additional
must be paid.
"Wives to pay the same sums as their husbands, in the several classes.
"Out of the above payments, bedding and mess utensils for the use of the
emigrants during the voyage, will be provided by the Commissioners.
"The mode of making these payments to the Commissioners will be pointed
out in the deposit circular. The Commissioners' selecting agents are
not employed by the Commissioners to receive money."
Any attempted fraud with regard to the signatures of the requisite
certificates, or misrepresentation as to trade, number in family, will
be held to disqualify the party for a passage. The emigrants must
repair to the appointed port at their own expense, and if they fail to
do so at the proper time, they will lose their passage and be liable to
a forfeiture of 2 pounds for each adult, and 1 pound for each child,
unless they give to the Commissioners timely notice, and a satisfactory
explanation of their inability to proceed.
"Clothing.--The lowest quantity that can be admitted for emigrants to
the Cape is as follows:--"
+========================================+=======================+
|For Males. |For Females. |
+----------------------------------------+-----------------------+
|Four shirts. |Six shifts. |
+----------------------------------------+-----------------------+
|Four pairs stockings. |Two flannel petticoats.|
+----------------------------------------+-----------------------+
|Two pairs shoes. |Four pairs stockings. |
+----------------------------------------+-----------------------+
|Two complete suits of exterior clothing.|Two pairs shoes. |
+----------------------------------------+-----------------------+
| |Two gowns. |
+========================================+=======================+
"For use on the voyage, shoes or slippers are much more convenient than
boots. The following is a cheap and excellent composition for
preserving leather from the bad effects of sea-water; linseed oil, one
gill; spirit of turpentine, one ounce; bees'-wax, one ounce; Burgundy
pitch, half ounce; to be well melted together, and kept covered in a
gallipot; lay it on boots or or shoes, rubbing it in well, and set them
in a hot sun, or before the fire.
"The usual length of the voyage to the Cape of Good Hope is about
seventy days.
"The whole quantity of baggage for each adult emigrant must not measure
more than twenty cubic or solid feet, nor exceed half a ton in weight.
It must be divided into two or three boxes, the contents of which must
be closely packed, so as to save space in the ship. Large packages and
extra baggage will not be taken unless paid for, and then only in case
there be room in the ship.
"Each family will be allowed to take only its own luggage. Any
violation of this rule will subject the party to a forfeiture of his
passage.
"On arrival in the colony the emigrants will be at perfect liberty to
engage themselves to any one willing to employ them, and to make their
own bargain for wages. No repayment or service is required from them
for the passage out. The only return expected is, a strict observance
on board of the regulations framed with a view to their health and
comfort during the voyage, and general good conduct and industrious
habits in the colony.
"Letters, etc, should be addressed, post paid, to Stephen Walcott, Esq,
Secretary to the Board of Emigration, Number 9, Park Street,
Westminster."
By a recent Act of Parliament known as the "Passenger Act," some most
valuable provisions are made for the protection of emigrants on their
voyage. The Act applies to foreign as well as British ships, and it
provides for the inspection of the ships by competent surveyors; for
carrying a certain number of boats; for a proper supply of medicine; and
for preventing drunkenness. It further directs that "in addition to any
provisions which the passengers may themselves bring, the following
quantities at least of pure water and wholesome provisions must be
supplied to each passenger by the master during the voyage, including
the time of detention at any place:--"