The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-20 00:00:00

NEW PROSPECTS OF EMIORATI° •
and wigre-

JAMAICA STANDARD.—The most important, Limo
rithal prodosition which we nave for e:anl,e.__ to
seco, relativti t», the much desired scheme of eirogt.ll9".ra
this island, is to be found in a late number of tip
Sei:rice Gazette. ft is in these words :—"
maica papers we learn that the expediency of pr?curfibe
further supply of white labourers for the cultivation of
af
soil, ertotintics to occupy the attention of the 11°°'
Assembly. While Germans, Ficrbin7s, and other foreignoucirae
the
have been encouraged to emigrate thither, it seems sin',
that our West India proprietors should have overlooked dills
or
natives of Malta, who appear to-us to be the yl as been
their purpose. We know that a trial of them
suggested, but we are not aware of the
been made."interesting
Upon this subject also, the following big. fit,
letter bas been addressed to Mr. Burge, our jslandcagceor.
experiment bay'
and by him communicated to the Commissiorers 0.11
resFondence here. The writer seems to be one We ore
(painted with tie matttr of which lie treats ; and vve the
no doubt that considerable good would accrue frool
lot
adoption of his suggestions. Emigrants, indeed, we I_' after
have, if we would wish to make anything like crops
IMO—and the sooner we set seriously to work the bete
chatham, 16th April, 18370
" Sir,—My family have for many years been connbo,,
with Jamaica. My father died one of the rectors. I Iv
very near rciatiors still there, and I am myself Pers°°'(,
acquainted with the island, its customs. P°
Pal.,
cannot help therefore, feeling a lively interest in
,bcr,
that concerns it, and it is at the suggestion of brO.
the
the Rev. W. G. P. Burton, rector of St. Thomas i"
whets
Vale, that I take the liberty of addressing you.
the Bill lbr the Abolition of Negro Slivery seemed certain
of passing, I was in the Mediterranean, and was of
aware that the want of efficient labourers for the soil '7°,4,
potation,
very soon be felt in the colony. The negroes, I kl'or
could not be depended on, and Europeans, howevrunfit
rally eligible, were, I was equally certain, physics''' ler
for toil beneath a tropical sun. The natives of Malta!':ry•
appeared to me to be capable of supplying the deficern-
They are a race of men little known in England, a"dhj;
add, still less. understood by the generality of English 3'4C,
In constitution they arc perfectly African, or rather J-k 5.1111,,,
and with the thermometer at 98 and 100 in the shade,""4l
hour all day,—men, women, and children—in the oPee;„ce'le,
In disposition and character they are intelligent, '-',lOl
cheerful, and industrious,—easily gained by kindness, 0.
n
far more patient under harsh usage than our count ,s"
e.
Their habits are domestic, temperate, and econoteie34
custonned to live on very little, and to submit to const!eo
privations ; the terms which an English
an English labourer would reject, would to them Prese so
prospect of comparative affluence. Their numbers are
ti
great, that they are compelled to emigrate to all Par" g
the Mediterranean, and as might be expected, such swa,r,n;
do not always contain the best of the hive.Ye"ialro.ll:l6o
In fact' these
wanderers live how they can, but they are never
refuse work where they every
under all circumstances, they consider themselves, to los
intent can get it, and in all places -
and purpose, British subjects, and call themse
Englishmen, a truth well, and sometimes feelingly peal
to our Consuls, to whose protection they invariablqaPitefe
when in difficulty. This characteristic of the '" to
which I have heard urged as a complaint against the our
me appears to be a most powerful argument in of en-
of their introduction into Jamaica ; since, instead
tering the
.colony as aliens, like the Germans or rill
ipgs, they would bring with them the principle di"
giance or compatriotism. The opinions ofhic Idea
am taking the liberty of offering, are not .?c,
on hearing, but on an attentive study
ratter assisted by some knowledge of their language. to
my return from the Mediterranean in 1834, I Wrote c
friend at Liverpool (the Rev. Edward Hull), s""l'°ll,lltlnie
tioned the subject to several gentlemen connected wit," or
West India Association. A general meeting of the °the
mittee of West India merchants was held in Londonon kg
14th of December following (1834), and certain '` remara.
oln emigration" were ordered to be printed and circulatery
Of their ndva.
bapriesnme this document must be in, your recollection, 13,
r,,
necesgthiajt
_o b y in your possession, and that it is therefore un
thef r me‘ to recapitulate its contents ; but I may observe ~ch
extract from a letter " (dated 28th Augtist) with
tioned
it concludes, was written by myself. The terms men table
by the Committee would, I have not a doubt, be aeeePta,„,
to the best class of Maltese labourers, if proposed to tl.cht
bybe a person possessing their confidence. A vessel might
le; taken up at Malta, and manned by Maltese, at a mu 0
England.
solexpense than the same thing could be done floif.,
_„and. In short, if the basis of the plan be approve her
r
shallbe most happy to enter into further explanations eithe
personally or by letter. f
" ALFRED BURTON, C.
JAMAICA GAZETTE, 17th June.—We learn th t,
scheme for introducing Maltese emigrants into this thisls'Aricibe-A
frustrated by Lord Sligo's prejudice, is likely to be renewe-d
and to receive encouragement from the Colonial-office ;
also that a letter addressed by Captain Burton to the ishT,
agent on the subject, has been favourably entertain k%
that functionary. We shall, proloahly, again recur to t°l'
subject.
KINGSTON CrIRONICLE.—In Thursday's Chronicle ife
üblished an extract from the United Service Gazette,
commending the introduction into this island of Maltese r
connected with this subject we subjoin the followin,!tec,
from Captain B. to our island agent, and which sverbee
wasiorwarded to the Commissioners of Correspondence.