The Express.
London, England, 1852-10-07 00:00:00

'FAMILY COLONISATION FOR AUSTRALIA.

A group meeting of intending emigrants for Au,
train, wider the popular plan suggested by Mrs. Chisholm,
was held on Tuesday at the Boys' Parochial School, Clapham-
common. The meeting was very uumerously attended by
working men end women, comprising intending colonist.,
their friends, and others anxious to h, ar Mrs. Chisholm ed-
deem them on a subject with which her some is identifi d.
The Rev. WINTWORTII A. SOIVIER, rector of Cl.sph..in,
occupied the chair.
The Rev. CHAIRYLK slid that the last meeting ehielt
had been held in that MOM on this subject was rather in-
troductory. This evening they should have a more
meeting, and Mrs. Chisholm would be kiwi enough to it., te
various particulars to them which would enable those who
intended to g . out to save a great deal of money, and off rd
them the best means of taking their families to Austrutia
without loss of time, with comfort and propriety, mid watt
the prospect of getting good situations in the laud of th,.ir
adoption. Ile would now again introduce Mrs. Chisholm
to their notice.
Mrs. Cn sellout then presented herself to the meeting, and
was received with loud cheers. She beensi by iiile,sing the
emigrants not to en-umber themselvi a with large unwieldy
boxes, but only to take such as they would be sble to carry
about for themselves; as in the colony, where labour cost
10s. a day, porterage would be very expi naive. There was no
necessity either for them to have their Dozes lined with z lie
or tin, because all good ships, that is " A ones," were licensed
to carry teas and agueof the choiceet quality without 'll-
jury. She must guard them against some mist tempting ad-
verimments which were put out regarding emigrant ships.
They should go to Lloyd's, and look over the "A ones."
There might be good ships that were not of that clots, hut
they would not bo able to judge of them; and for safety
they should keep to the " A ones." By doing soli number
of very bad ships would probably tie driven off the ocean.
If they bad a large quantity of luggage she recommended
them to purchase a cask, which was cheaper and more con-
venient than a box, nascence they could easily alai it from
place to place. Besides, it would serve when tiny got to
the colony either for a water cask, a salting tub, or a wash-
ing tub. Again, casks which hitherto were a mere drug in
the market, in Australia were now selling for two guineas
each, because they were now used as snug comtortable
sleeping places for the diggers ; but it wa, necessary to
secure them with a peg to pre vent them from rolling.
(Laughter.) It was a cumfert to her to tWek that the
had greatly reduced the expense of outfits by having good
wash-houses on board the ships. Whe people thought of
emigrating they generally ran first to look after fine cabins,
but she wanted them to look first at the wash Luster, and
see that they were all right with the nuke and water-pipes.
This accommodation would et least save from 50s. to 31. ter
head to the emigrants in their outfits. If they should he
taking small sums of money with them, it would he better
for them to obtain a letter of credit, which costs only a
few shilliuns for a sum under 10t, and is much better
than carrying it loam in their pocket. She knew adver-
tisements were put forth, offering to mike very advert-
tames money arrangements for tin m, but se,• reniestly
warned them to guard against any "money arrangements."
The bankers' charge, she knew, was rather high for
letters of credit ; but she advised them for safety to imp it.
Since she had last had the pleasure of meeting them she
had visited Ireland for the purpose of sending elf a ship
from Cork. She did so on the ground that she felt certain
that they would never have emigration as it ought to lie
until a spirit of honourable competition was fully excited.
In despatching that ship many difficulties stood in the e ay,
many prejudices had to be removed. Even emoeg the emi-
grants at the last moment there was a word against Ireland.
They were told that the Irish children were so savage that
only one knife and fork was allowed at table for fear one
child should murder the other—(a laugh)—and after she ar-
rived there ayoung woman came up to her, in the dusk of
the evening, having seen a number of the people, and said.
" Do you know, Mrs. Chisholm, I ahou'd not be afraid of
landing with them." (Laughter.) Another spirit was
manifested by some of the English emigrants. They said
" In grouping together we shall not group selfishly; we
shall leave room for ono or two Irish, as we are all going
out togeteer, and thin make things more pleasant." She
had often put the question at public meetings, whether
emigration was to be moralised or not? She would tell
them an anecdote which would grate rather harshly on the
English ear, but it showed that the persons emigrating
valued character, and were determined to de what they
could for thems.lves ; and intimated that the good people,
if they hung bark, would be left behind ; tl.e people would
take the advance fu this movement. A young man was
heard to swear on one occasion among an emigrant party,
and to use Immune offensive to womanhood. lie was
told that he would not be allowed to in the ship—they
would not hike a man who could insult womanhood on
board. She (Mrs. Chisholm) tried to make peace among
them; and the young man, in the most noble manner, con-
fessed hie fault, and 'eel he would even apologise before the
little children, because he said he wished to go nut in that
ship, as he knew the kind of society he would be among,
and would ass sure to be comfortable. Seeing that there
would be division in the ship if he went—that there would
be one patty for him and another against him en the voyage
—she (Mrs. Chisholm) recommended him qui. tly rather to
go in another ship to prevent unpleasantness, and he took
her advice. (Rear, hear.) Now, if these strong moral
feelings existed smong the emigrants, how good it would be
if some noble minded men would come forward and lend a
hand at such work. In the Barrackpore, which would siii en
the 30th inst., well qualified teachers were going out who
would endeavour to turn claws during the voyage, and
instruct them at the rate of 7s. for each emigrant. With
God's blessing she intended herself to leave for Australia in
June next. She was anxious during the eoyage to make
herself useful, and to try to establish a system of female
emigration that would give confluence to the public, end
do credit to her country. She felt that the subject she was
touching upon was so important to the nation that she
would be glad to have the opportunity fur two evenings of
addressing an audience in a room as near the West-end as
possible, confining herself entirely to the question of female
emigration. She wished to let some good ladies with large
sums of money know at how very entail a sum they would
be able to provide for and to protect orphans.
Some amusing and interesting extracts font letters from
Australian colonists, who had gone out under the group
system and were rapidly growing rich in that El Dorado,
were then read to the meeting by Mee. Chisholm, alter
' which,
Mr. BIDNIST addressed the assemblage, strongly erring
upon the middle emotes to come forward at once, and take
part in the work of colonisation, otherwise they would find
that i:, would be entirely taken out of their hands.
Mn. CHISHOLM added a few remarks to her previous
address, so the effect that she had experieaced the greatest
difficulty in getting the large shipownen to twist her in her
undertaking; but she had at length, fortunately, see tired
the co-operation of Mr. Lindsay, and augured the Impleest
results from that circums ance.
The meeting, after voting thanks to Mrs. Chisholm and
to the chairman, then dispersed.