GRENADA. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 11. Immigration Office, Grenada, Sir, In reply to your communication on the subject of the mortality amongst the coolie labourers in this island, I beg to enclose three tabulated returns, No. 1 showing the deaths that have occurred on the several estates; No. 2, showing the parochial distribution of those who arrived since last return, and No. 3, the consolidat. d form of the whole, deducting the deaths, and showing the total remaining. 2. The mortality appears to have been confined to the immigrants per "Maidstone", many of whom, from the miserable state in which they were landed, were unable to do anything for months, and had to be led and attended to at the expense of the estates on which they were located. 3. It is gratifying to observe that the casualties ceased immediately after the termination of the last year, only four having died since, and the remainder are getting on very well. 4. Those per "Fulwood" are suffering a little from "jiggers" and climatic fever, the usual ordeal which they must all undergo, but I have every reason to expect that by the end of the year they will all be restored to perfect health. Samuel Mitchell, Esq., &c. &c. &c. I have, &c. RETURN of Deaths amongst the COOLIE IMMIGRANTS at Grenada since last Return, viz., from 31 December last to 30 September 1858. (No. 2.) DISTRIBUTION of COOLIE IMMIGRANTS per "Fulwood," classified according to the Districts in the Island. No. 3-TABLE (B.) CONSOLIDATED RETURN of Indian IMMIGRANTS at Grenada, for the Three Quarters from 31 December 1857 to 30 September 1858. By last Keturn the deaths were 50 on 283 for seven months ending 31 December 1857: since then, only four casualties have occurred amongst 595, showing the mortality had considerably abated since the turn of the year; and, excepting a few cases of climatic fever and sores from jiggers, all the immigrants are doing exceedingly well. COPY of a DESPATCH from the Right Honourable H. Labouchere, M.P. to Governor Hincks. Downing-street, 31 August 1857. No. 1. Right Hon. H. Labouchere, M. P. to Governor India Board, 13 July 1857. Sir, I TRANSMIT to you, for your information and guidance, the copy of a letter 3: August 1857. from the India Board, with the copy of one from the Chairman of the Emigration Commission, relative to the remittance to India of the property of coolie labourers who may die in the West Indies, and of the earnings which they may wish to send to their friends in India. Vide page 114 of COPY of a DESPATCH from the Right Honourable H. Labouchere, M.P. to Governor Hincks. Sir, Downing-street, 16 January 1858. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 16th October, Grenada, No. 38,* with copy of one from Lieutenant Governor Kortright, reporting that it will be necessary to have recourse to the Guaranteed Loan to meet the immigration expenses for the current year. No. 2. Right Hon. H. Labouchere, I transmit to you a copy of a Report on the subject from the Land and Emigration Commissioners, together with copy of a letter from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, from which Lieutenant Governor Kortright will find that the monies to meet this expenditure will be forthcoming when required. It will be seen that the Lords Commissioners have assented to a similar. arrangement as regards the immigration expenditure for St. Lucia. I have, &c. Enclosure 1, 7 December 1857. Enclosure 2, 5 January 1858. Enclosure 1, in No. 2. Sir, Emigration Office, 7 December 1857. We have to acknowledge your letter of 23d instant, enclosing the copy of a Despatch from the Lieutenant-governor of Grenada, in which he reports that the sum at the disposal of the local government for immigration purposes was reduced on the 30th September last to 427 l., and that the expenses of the immigration for the current season will have to be defrayed from the Guarantee Loan Fund. 2. In a report from this office of the 12th October it was suggested that the Lords of the Treasury should be requested to defer raising any portion of the guaranteed loan appropriated to Grenada until the receipt of further communication from the colony on the subject; and, considering the uncertainty which hangs over Indian emigration at the present moment, we are still unwilling to recommend that a loan should be raised which may turn out not to be wanted. 3. It is almost certain that news of the chartering and dispatch of a ship will reach us nearly two months before we are called upon to pay freight, and we should hope that this Encl. 1, in No. 2. GRENADA. period would suffice for raising the loan of so small as a sum 7,000l.; and even if this process should not be completed till a week or two after the freight was payable, we should find no difficulty (with the sanct on of Her Majesty's Treasury) in advancing the sum from the balance in our hands. 4. We would submit, for the consideration of the Lords of the Treasury, whether, under these circumstances, it may not be best to defer raising this sum till advies from India make it clear that it will be required. 5. The same considerations apply to St. Lucia, for which Colony we hope that 5,000 7. or 6,000 7. will be required in the course of the first half year of 1858, and we would suggest that the same course should be taken with regard to this Colony. WITH reference to your letter of 31st ultimo, I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Labouchere, that, under the circumstances stated by the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, they see no objection to the postponement of the raising of the sums that may be required on account of the guaranteed loans for Grenada and St. Lucia. Their Lordships request to receive the earliest intimation of the resumption of coolie emigration to these Colonies, in order that no delay may take place in providing funds, should it become necessary to raise the sums set apart for these Colonies out of the amount authorised by the Act 11 & 12 Vict. c. 130. Herman Merivale, Esq. &c. &c. &c. I am, &c. (signed) C. E. Trevelyan. No. 3. M. P. to Governor 25 February 1858. Vide p. 139 of COPY of a DESPATCH from the Right Honourable H. Labouchere, M.P. to Governor Hincks. Sir, Downing-street, 25 February 1858. HAVING observed that a large number of liberated Africans have been taken into Sierra Leone, and located among the resident population, I instructed the Emigration Commissioners to take steps for facilitating the conveyance to the West Indies of such Africans as may hereafter reach that port under similar circumstances. I enclose the copy of an agreement which they have accordingly concluded with Messrs. Hyde, Hodge, & Co. I have instructed the Governor of Sierra Leone to use his best endeavours to fill the ships, furnished under this agreement, with such captured Africans as may consent to emigrate. It is, of course, impossible to predict the continuance of these captures, or the degree to which the Africans may avail themselves of the opportunity offered them; but I think it desirable to inform you of the steps which I have taken to secure, as far as possible, to the West Indies, the benefits derivable from the operations of Her Majesty's cruisers. If the Colonists also desire to take advantage of the 16th Article of the Agreement, it will be necessary to make proper provision for paying the proposed freight of 51. per adult on all emigrants from Sierra Leone, other than captured Africans, and a fee of a dollar per adult to the Emigration Agent who will embark them. I have instructed the Governor of Sierra Leone to explain to the emigrants of both classes (as far as possible, that they must be prepared, on their arrival, to enter into contracts of service to last for three years, or (in the case of children) till the age of 18. of 18. Of course, however, it will not be competent to the Government to impose or sanction such contracts, except in pursuance of some law which is in force in the Colony, on the arrival of the immigrants. - I draw |