Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State: Proposal for importation of labourers...

CO 318/155

1842

Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State: Proposal for importation of labourers from West Africa.

• West India Committee (forwards printed note of points concerning labour relations and related matters that they wish to be considered by a Parliamentary committee; forwards various items including list of ships sent out to Sierra Leone to convey migrants to the West Indies since January 1841 with tonnage and numbers embarked, extracts of letters from agents in Sierra Leone and Jamaica, and extracts of letters from Richard Pine, agent of the West India Emigration Society, showing obstructions thrown in the way of emigration of free people from The Gambia by the governor of that colony; forwards resolutions of a meeting of West India merchants and a memorial and requests a meeting with the secretary of state; forwards proposals for a scheme of emigration from Africa to the West Indies under Government superintendence [with drafts of Colonial Office correspondence to other bodies]; memorandum concerning outlay necessary for bring into effect the plan of emigration proposed; printed statement of suggestions made by deputation and with Lord Stanley's decision on each);
• West India Association of Glasgow (memorial claiming that the transition to free labour has been a failure and seeking the promotion of migration from Africa and the East Indies and stating that the West Indian colonies 'have formed an essential element in the prosperity of this city and eminently contributed to advance the commercial, manufacturing and maritime welfare of the Empire at large'; suggests remedies for the current state of affairs in the West Indies; forwards further memorial);
• West India Association of Dublin (points to losses sustained by West India planters and urges Government support of emigration from Sierra Leone to be superintended by Government agents, deplores lack of availability of Africans liberated at Havana and the failure to suppress the slave trade which favours foreign producers; states their regret that the mixed commission at Havana cannot be removed and points to 'gross abuses' committed there);
• West India Society of Bristol (forwards resolutions passed on matters relating to inadequate supply of labour and efforts made to procure migrants from Sierra Leone, and refers also to labour shortages in Mauritius; forwards memorial seeking the removal of mixed commissions from 'the Colonies of Powers carrying on the Slave Trade and adopting Slave Labour Cultivation'; further memorial stressing devaluation of property and losses to planters and merchants and seeking method of obtaining 'a suitable supply of labour at fair wages');
• Colonial Land and Emigration Office (comments on various proposals made for labour migration from Africa with draft instructions to commanding officers and surgeons of transports conveying passengers between Africa and the West Indies, and draft clearing certificates, nominal list of passengers, immigration agents' certificates of arrival, certificate of right to a return passage, quarterly return. With extract of a private letter to the Commission from 'a long established merchant at Bristol' concerning a ship called the Arabian);
• Admiralty (forwards report from the Comptroller of Transport Services on a system of emigration from Africa to the West Indies under Government control with estimate of expense; no objection to plan proposed for the hire and management of vessels to be employed in carrying emigrants; no objection to their agents embarking as intended on board vessels hired by the Emigration Commissioners);
• Agents (reported prevention of migration at Sierra Leone; draws attention to reports of a committee of the House of Commons on Africa and the West Indies and urges encouragement of labour migration; suggests giving presents to African chiefs whose people are held in slavery on condition that they should emancipate them 'when they would be free to go to the West Indies', and reports a meeting he has had with a member of the Niger Expedition);
• Treasury (has no objection to funds being advanced for the commencement of an emigration scheme, but understands that the West Indian colonies will defray expenses incurred);
• Sir T D Acland (comments on Macgregor Laird's plan for a steam packet service between the west coast of Africa and the West Indies, with copy of proposal sent to the Treasury);
• Edward Nicolls (gives his comments on wages and emigration and his opinion that it would be better to develop the economies of Africa and the East Indies rather than 'tearing or tempting away the hand that should cultivate its soil');
• John S Pakington (comments on proposed emigration scheme; returns suggested answer to deputation [not in item]);
• Lord Sandon (his comments on the proposed emigration [two letters]).

• a 'statement embodying the suggestions made by a Deputation of Gentlemen with respect to the future Emigration from the West Coast of Africa to the West Indies and Lord Stanley's decision upon them';
• various memoranda on the subject of labour migration;
• printed tenders for ships and services;
• circular despatches;
• copies of correspondence between the secretary of state and the governors of Jamaica, British Guiana, Trinidad and Sierra Leone relating to the admission of captured Africans from Sierra Leone to the West Indies as printed for the Select Committee on the West Coast of Africa, 1842;
• printed copy of papers relating to emigration from West Africa to the West Indies presented to both Houses of Parliament, 1843.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

International

Manufacturing

Labour

Taxation

Trade and commerce

Asia

Migration

Caribbean

Pay and pensions

Slavery

Navy

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Africa