MAURITIUS. 13. The scheme, originally contemplated in 1851, seems to have been abandoned, partly on account of the difficulty experienced in obtaining a ship of war for the purposes of the expedition, and partly from a hesitation, on the part of the Government, to offend our ally, the queen of the Hoovas, who was known to be opposed to Emigration from Madagascar. 14. It was, indeed, on her account that the order for the final suspension of Malagash immigration was issued, in pursuance of the instructions conveyed by the Secretary of State's Despatch, No. 166, dated the 26th August 1856. 15. Up to the date at which that Despatch was received, licences similar to the one granted to Captain Asp, had, from time to time, been furnished to captains of ships, during a period of more than five years, and 219 immigrants from Madagascar had been thus introduced. These licences have now, of course, been discontinued. I have, &c. (signed) William Stevenson. Encl. 1, in No. 10. Enclosure 1, in No. 10. IMMIGRATION FROM MADAGASCAR. His Excellency the Governor directs the publication of the following Regulations for the conduct of immigration from Madagascar, for the information and guidance of the public generally. C. J. Bayley, Colonial Secretary. Colonial Secretary's Office, 23 May 1851. REGULATIONS. (signed) 1. The captains of vessels intending to bring more than 10 natives from Madagascar, shall previously obtain from his Excellency the Governor a licence, under his hand and seal, which shall be renewed for each voyage. 2. The application for a licence shall be accompanied with a certificate of the harbourmaster, to the effect that the vessel is a safe one, and suitably fitted out for the voyage; and also a certificate of the protector of immigrants, that the captain is possessed of a sufficient knowledge of the Malagasy language, or has a proper person on board to act as interpreter. 3. Previously to the delivery of the licence the captain of the vessel shall execute and leave in the protector of immigrant's hands a bond, in a penalty of 50 l., that the present regulations shall be observed. 4. He shall admit en board of his vessel, to be conveyed to Mauritius, only such people as embark of their own free will, and he shall, previously to sailing, explain to each immigrant in the day-time, and in presence of the crew, that he is taken to Mauritius to work as a labourer, and what wages he may expect to obtain on his arrival. If, on receiving such explanations, any immigrant objects to proceed, he shall be immediately landed, under a penalty of 5 l. for each man brought to this Colony against his will; such sum to defray his expenses in the Colony, and the charge for his return passage. 5. The captain shall become bound, on receiving his licence, to furnish to the immigrants on board his ship a sufficiency of water, and of such food as is used by the natives of Madagascar; and any proved complaint of insufficiency in this respect shall disqualify the captain for a renewal of his licence. 6. The number of immigrants which a vessel may be licensed to carry shall not exceed one for every two tons register, when bullocks are carried in the hold; or one for each ton register when the vessel carries no bullocks, provided that a sufficient space for one-half of the immigrants to lie in is reserved below the deck. 7. The protector of immigrants shall inspect each vessel on her arrival, and shall cancel the bond given by the captain, if satisfied that these regulations have been observed. In case of any infraction he shall immediately report the circumstance. 8. The immigrants, after the inspection, shall be landed at the depôt, with three days' provisions. The captain shall report to the protector the sum which he demands for the passage of each man, who shall be held free to choose his employer, and make his own terms, after paying to the captain the price of his passage. 9. Where female immigrants are embarked, a place shall be set apart for them under the deck, which shall not be less than 10 square feet superficies, and 4 feet in height for each. 10. A bonus shall be given out of the colonial funds to such of the captains as shall introduce a proportion of females amongst the adults, as follows: When the proportion is 1 female in 10 adults, 3. for each female. the payment to be made on the certificate of the protector, that the regulations have been observed, accompanied by a return of the number of adults of both sexes on board. MAURITIUS. Enclosure 2, in No. 10. 1. DEPENDENT as Mauritius unfortunately is upon foreign labour for the profitable cultivation of her soil, it appears to me to be highly desirable that every opportunity that may offer for multiplying the channels from whence such indispensable assistance can be drawn, ought to be maturely considered and taken advantage of whenever reasonable hopes of success may be entertained. 2. I have long been of opinion that the neighbouring and populous island of Madagascar presents the natural source of relief from the evil under which we suffer from the absence of a resident labouring population; and the approbation of Her Majesty's Government having been obtained to the attempt to import immigrants from this quarter being made, it behoves the local Government to initiate such measures as may be calculated to give it a fair trial, and, if possible, insure its success. 3. I submit for the information of the Honourable the Legislative Council a second Despatch, which has been received from Her Majesty's Secretary of State upon this subject, the purport of which is, to guard against the possible abuses to which a free and unrestricted immigration from Madagascar might give rise. I feel satisfied that the public feeling here will re-echo the sentiments expressed by Earl Grey; but effective precaution may, I think, be taken to prevent so baneful a result as that adverted to. The first step towards the accomplishment of our object will be to endeavour to procure accurate information as to the localities on the Madagascar coast from whence suitable immigrants (male and female) would be disposed to come. Similar efforts have, I understand, been made from time to time, but without much success, I believe, from difficulties which may, it is hoped, be at least partially overcome. 4. There is at present here an envoy of King Rabouky, of Bayonna Bay, by name "Oussoof," who holds an authenticated copy of a treaty entered into between his sovereign and Captain Brown, of Her Majesty's ship " Geyser," on the part of the British Government, bearing date the 20th September 1848. It is believed that he was sent here to procure fire-arms and gunpowder; but he has fallen sick, and is in pecuniary distress. He states, that there is no objection on the part of his master to allow his subjects to resort to Mauritius for work, and he is of opinion that many would be disposed to come if proper facilities were afforded them. This man's services might be turned to account, and I recommend that a small sum be voted for his maintenance until the end of the hurricane season; when I would suggest that one of our Government steamers should be dispatched to the part of the coast in question, touching at other places, as might seem expedient. In her "Oussoof" could have a passage; and conceive it would also be desirable to send back a few of the natives of Madagascar who have been in the island, and enjoyed the superior advantages within reach of every industrious working man that visits our shores. They would be able to afford their fellow countrymen all the information respecting their prospects here that they could desire, and their report would naturally command more confidence and credit than that of foreigners or strangers. 5. Being keenly alive to the vast importance of every step that may be taken towards the opening and maintaining a free and more extensive intercourse with Madagascar, whether for purposes of obtaining labour, or of benefiting commerce and trade, and being satisfied that, under a proper system, the introduction of labourers, with an adequate proportion of females from that country, will prove no less beneficial to themselves than to their employers, I conceive it to be my duty to bring the subject under the early deliberation of the Honourable the Legislative Council. J. M. Higginson. (signed) Encl. 2, in No. 10. Reduit, March 1851. Enclosure 3, in No. 10. REPORT of the Immigration Committee of the Council of Government, on Papers presented to them by His Excellency the Governor. Read. Minute of his Excellency the Governor, dated 22d March, with a report of a committee appointed by his Excelleney to collect information, and to prepare a scheme for an expedition to the western coast of Madagascar, with the object of ascertaining how immigration can best be effected from that island. 2. The chief results of the inquiry instituted by this committee appear to be 1st. That the inhabitants of the eastern coast of Madagascar are those best qualified to become useful labourers in this Colony; but that the whole of that coast, with the greater Encl. 3, in No. 10 MAURITIUS. part of the centre of the island and of the north-western coast, together with some detached places on the western coast, are under the dominion of the Queen of the Hovas, who is not likely to permit emigration from her territories upon terms to which this Government could assent. 3. Second. That those parts of the western coast which are independent of the Hovas are not thickly populated; that the Sakalaves, who constitute the greater part of the population, are described as an independent, warlike, indolent race, not likely to become steady labourers; that the Entalotes, or mixed race between the Sakalaves and Arabs, who are numerous on that coast, are still less likely to be useful immigrants; that there is consideral le diversity of opinion as to their disposition to emigrate, as to the proportion of women that could be induced to accompany them, and as to the ports from which they could be obtained. 4. Third. That the exportation of slaves from Madagascar is believed to have ceased altogether; but that, on the contrary, there is a continual introduction of slaves from the Coast of Africa, brought over in Arab dhows, whose owners receive bullocks and rice in exchange for them. 5. Fourth. That the expense of a mission to the several ports on the western coast, at which there is a chance of obtaining a supply of labourers, and to the Comoro Islands, would be about 900 l. or 1,000 l. 6. Upon a careful consideration of the whole question, the Immigration Committee are of opinion that, although it is uncertain whether any important advantages will result from the mission, it is expedient that it should be undertaken. It is desirable that the capabilities of the western coast of Madagascar for furnishing labourers to this colony should be ascer tained, and that relations of amity should be established and cultivated with the chiefs. Some benefit to the commerce of the colony may arise from the expedition. It may also have a beneficial effect on the policy of the Hova government, who, in the apprehension of the increase of British influence and British connexions on the western coast, may endeavour to avert it by hasteuing the restoration of our former relations with itself. 7. The only question is, when and how the expedition should be undertaken, whether immediately, without previous communication with the Secretary of State; whether with such agency as the colony can supply, or with the assistance of the Home Govern means and 8. A reference to the Secretary of State will cause the delay of a year, as the proper season for the expedition will have passed by before any decision can be taken on the matter in England; but it is more important to guard against any misinterpretation of our aims and intentions, and to avoid arousing new susceptibilities in England, than to lose a season, especially as a large supply of labourers may be expected from India in the present year, and the prospect of any supply resulting from this expedition is so uncertain. 9. It would also contribute much to the chance of success, and prevent misconstruction, if one of Her Majesty's ships were employed on the occasion. The presence of a manof-war would command respect for the mission among the natives, and satisfy the public in England, that no measures would be adopted which would be opposed to the established policy of the Government. 10. The Committee are further informed that a survey of the dependencies of the colony is contemplated. The assistance of a man-of-war is much to be desired for such a purpose. The Home Government might be disposed to render this, and to despatch a vessel hither for the double service. 11. The Committee offer these suggestions for the consideration of his Excellency the Governor. If his Excellency should decide on dispatching the mission this year, the scheme proposed by the Committee of Inquiry appears to be in every way suitable, and the Committee recommend the Council to place at his Excellency's disposal the sum of 1,000 l. for its prosecution. 12. The Committee will now proceed to notice certain incidental questions connected with this subject, either referred to in his excellency's minute, or otherwise suggested. 13. With regard to the existence of any territory on the eastern coast independent of the Hovas, and to the commerce in slaves on the Western, referred to by his Excellency, the Committee have already noticed the result of the inquiries which have been instituted. 14. The Committee doubt the expediency of the Government at any time undertaking the sole charg of immigration from Madagascar, of its establishing agents there, or despatching vessels to procure immigrants. At the same time it should establish such regulations as would prevent, as far as possible, abuses of any kind. 15. The Committee agree with his Excellency that the immigrant, on landing, should be placed under the protector, and that measures should be adopted to ascertain that the labourers have been obtained in an unobjectionable manner, and that they have come entirely by their own free will and consent; that they should then be taken before a magistrate, as in the case of Indian immigrants, before whom contracts of service, not exceeding three years, will be made between them and their employers." After which the interference of the protector should cease. The immigrants will become free labourers, unshackled, as well as the colony with regard to them, by the regulations affecting immigrants from India, regulations which, the Committee can never cease to assert, benefit the inmigrants much less than they injure the colony. 15. The Committee doubt the advantage, and even the practicability, of sending a Government agent in each ship employed to bring immigrants from Madagascar. But they would suggest suggest certain regulations, with regard to such ships, especially if any delay should occur MAURITIUS. in the dispatch of the proposed mission. They would recommend that every vessel which leaves this colony after the adoption of such regulations, or which was not dispatched before their publication, for the purpose of introducing immigrants from Madagascar, should be required to be licensed; that the maximum number which she be allowed to carry should be fixed, after a survey by the harbour master; and that the captain should enter into a bond of moderate amount to comply with such conditions and regulations with regard to the recruiting of the immigrants, and their treatment during the passage, as the Governments shall establish to prevent abuses, and the risk of a consequent stoppage of the immigration. 16. With regard to wages, to which subject his Excellency has particularly called the attention of the Committee, they are of opinion that the Government should interfere as little as possible. It is not in the interest of the colony that Malgache immigrants should find themselves worse off than Indian immigrants, or any portion of that class of the popula tion to which they will belong; and the Malgaches are usually very keen with respect to wages and money matters generally. The best and simplest coure seems to be, to enact that no agreement as to wages, made out of the colony, shall be binding. 17. One point remains for consideration; the assistance to be given by the Government to this immigration carried on by private parties. If the Government do not interfere, and allow the parties who introduce them to make their own bargains with employers, the immigrants will have no choice of their masters, and the competition for their services may lead to extravagant charges upon the planters, as happened in 1843-44, before the Government took upon itself the entire management of the immigration from India. And inasmuch as the introduction of labourers from Madagascar, if it take place to any extent, will diminish in a corresponding ratio the demand for a supply from India, and the consequent burthen upon the public, it would seem desirable to pay a bounty for their introduction, which should be repaid by the parties engaging them; the amount not to exceed in any case the average cost of introducing labourers from India, and to be calculated upon the actual probable cost of their introduction, holding out some additional encouragement for the introduction of women and families. Until the Government has the means of ascertaining this cost, it might be arranged that the employer should pay through the hands of the Government the amount demanded by the party who introduced the inimigrants. 18. The Cominit:ee trust that they have not overlooked any point upon which his Excellency has requested their opinion, or desired information. COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Stevenson to the Right Honourable Sir, Mauritius, 23 December 1857. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, dated the 5th October, No. 37, giving cover to a communication from the Foreign Office, relative to an outrage committed on board the bark " Joker," and again calling for explanation of the fact that emigrants were being embarked on board that vessel, so lately as the month of May last, although my predecessor had stated, in his Despatch, No. 175, of the 14th October 1856, that he had issued a proclamation prohibiting Malagash immigration. 2. You have already been apprised, by my Despatch, No. 19, of the 3d November, of which a duplicate is transmitted by this packet, that the commander of the "Joker" received his license before your instructions, for the suspension of Malagash immigration, reached the local Government, and, consequently, before the issue of Sir James Higginson's prohibitory proclamation; it only remains for me, therefore, to state that, by the terms of Captain Aps' license, he was authorised to make a voyage to Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, Zanzibar, and any other ports or places, on the coast of Africa, where there is a resident British agent, and thence to convey Malagasy, or other immigrants, to Port Louis, or the Seychelles Islands, for the purpose of being hired as labourers in this colony. 3. His license then was still in force in the month of May last, as he had not returned to Mauritius, and had, therefore, not completed his voyage, but he was acting in contravention of the conditions upon which that license was granted, in attempting to procure immigrants against their will. No. 11. Governor Steven- MAURITIUS. * Page 283. 4. As I observe that, by my predecessor's Despatch, No. 26, of the 6th February 1856, you have already been furnished with six copies of the form of license alluded to, it appears unnecessary to have it reprinted for the purpose of transmitting some additional copies herewith. I have, &c. P.S.-Since writing the above, I have had the honour to receive your Despatch, No. 58,* of 22d October, on the same subject, your instructions in which shall be attended to. 5 January 1858. No. 12. Governor Stevenson, to the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, M.P. 13 January 1858. Enclosure 1. Enclosure 2. Enclosure 3. Enclosure 4. Enclosure 5. COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Stevenson to the Right Honourable Sir, Mauritius, 13 January 1858. (Received 5 April 1858.) I HAVE the honour to transmit, for your information, a copy of a petition which I lately received from a person of the name of William Ferrier, in which, while disclosing the circumstances connected with his own case, he mentions others which ought properly to be made known to the Government, as they have reference to the stratagems that appear to be used for entrapping the ignorant natives of some of the islands of the Pacific, which, I believe, are in the possession of the English, and within Her Majesty's dominions, into service in the island of Bourbon. 2. That petition I placed, for the purpose of investigation, in the hands of the Sub-Procureur General, a copy of whose opinion I enclose, as well as copies of the depositions or voluntary statements made, in the course of such investigation, by Ferrier and other passengers on board Captain Wilson's ships. 3. I also transmit a copy of a letter from Monsieur Manés, "le Directeur de l'Intérieur" of the island of Bourbon, and a copy of a charter-party, which seems to have resulted from the permission granted by such letter; both of which documents Captain Wilson, when informed of the petitioner's application, put in, as his exculpation, as the Procureur General states; and, in order to show that he was simply the irresponsible servant of the charterer, whose agent or supercargo, sanctioned by the French Government, was on board. 4. These documents appear to show that, for the purpose of making the first attempt at procuring immigrants from the islands of the Pacific, for the service of the island of Bourbon, an authority was given, under certain restrictions which are contained in the letter from the Director of the Interior, of the 27th October 1856; one of which restrictions is, that there should be an agent of the Government on board, who should take care that the immigrants clearly comprehended the nature of the service in which they were to embark; which duty, if faithfully performed, might be followed by no improper consequences, but which, if entrusted to an interested and designing person, might be very fatally exercised. 5. It would appear that, in pursuance of this permission, the charter-party of the 15th May last was entered into at Sydney, and no doubt the "John d'Almagne," who is named in that charter-party, is the person who was fixed upon as the " délégué," or responsible person, by whom this especial duty of supervision was to be performed on the part of the French Government. 6. How he performed that duty is best made known by the statements of Ferrier, and the other persons who have made their voluntary depositions; and it would appear from those statements, if true, which I have no reason to doubt, that under colour of French Government authority, but wholly in defiance of its conditions, a nefarious traffic has been commenced by these designing people for the purpose of entrapping some of the ignorant natives of those islands into a service wholly foreign to their habits and pursuits, and of the intention to draw them into which they appear to have been kept in perfect ignorance up to the moment |