The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-17 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION

IMPORTATION OF COOLIES
INTO GUIANA.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM T. GLADSTONE, ESQ. 1
TO THE MARQUIS OF NORMANBY. 1
1, Belgrave-street, August, 3, 1839. 1
My Lord,—ln consequence of what has recently
passed in both Houses of Parliament on the subject of
the introduction of natives of India into the colony of
Demerara, Mr. Gladstone, my father, has felt it neces-
sary, for the vindication of his character, to make public
all the facts connected with his properties that bear
upon the subject, and to court the fullest investigation.
In connexion with his friend, Mr. Moss, of Liver-
pool, he chartered the ship Hesperus, of 330 register
tons. to proceed to Calcutta, where about 170 Hill
Coolies were engaged and embarked for Demerara.
Previous to this being done, the people were examined
I before Magistrates specially authorized for the purpose ;
' and the agreements made with them, and entered into
of their own free will, were read to them in their own
language, confirmed by them, and certified by the su-
perintending Magistrates previous to embarkation. The
ship was provided with an experienced captain and other
officers, and an able surgeon, all carefully selected for
the voyage, to whom Mr. Gladstone engaged to pay
10s. premium for each Coolie landed in Demerara.
Among those who embarked were several old infirm
persons, whose age and state of health must have been
overlooked.
Mr. Gladstone has always had reason to believe, from
the evidence given him, and the reports made by the
'captain and surgeon, that the se people, previous to embar-
cation had been subjected to much privation, a case
well known to be too common with them in Bengal ;
that when they came to receive as much food as they
could consume, repletion ensue& which, added to other
causes connected with their general health, occasioned
the death of 11 of their number, several of them chil-
dren, within six days after the ship sailed from Calcutta,
notwithstanding the surgeon's best exertions to save
them. The rest enjoyed good health until their arrival
at Demerara, after a passage of three months.
When landed iu Demerara the people were divided
between Mr. Moss and Mr. Gladstone, in the propor-
tions in which they were interested--viz.. Mr. Moss
one-third, and Mr. Gladstone two. thirds of their number.
Mr. Moss's were located on his estate of Anna Regina,
as Mr. Gladstone's were on two of his estates called
Vreed-en- Hoop and Vreedestein, under his instructions
1 to his attorney, Mr. Jame; Stuart, that they should be
placed in the dwellings previously provided for them,
1
and treated with kindness and attention.
The conduct of the Coolies on Mr. Gladstone's estates
has been repc,rted to hint from time to time as satisfac-
f, tory ; the; are represented to be a quiet and inoffensive
people, performing the moderate field labour assigned to
• them cheerfully and willingly, the quantity required
being about four.fifths of what was at the same time
performed by the hired negro labourers with whom they
i work.

A fter sonic months had elapsed, some of the people,
chiefly the old, were attacked with complaints of the
liver and dysentery, the seeds of which they had
brought from Bengal ; these, added to the effect of
the chap"e of climate on infirm persons, and notwith-
stand; ag the unremitting attention of the surgeon who
ha,. the medical charge of Mr. Gladstone's estate, 12
ti them died at different periods, everything ordered
or required for their comfort and benefit having been
abundantly provided, and negroes in constant attendance
upon them while in hospital. The people continued
cheerful and contented ; but evil-disposed persons have
recently goce among them, and have endeavoured to
create a bad and dissatisfied feeling, in which they may
have partially succeeded, as it is at present too gene-
rally the case in England, where similar effects are
produced by the Chartists and others among the lower
classes.
The Coolies are regularly supplied with the food sti-
pulated for in their agreements by the Calcutta Magis-
trates, which is to quantity more than they can con-
sume ; and they regularly sell the surplus to others who
may be disposed to purchase the rice, which is of the
best quality.
About twelve months ago, and not long after they
were landed, it appears that one of their bead-men, or
sirdars, an interpreter, thought proper for some offence
to take upon himself to flog several of the people, I
think three or four. The act was undoubtedly
unjustifiable ; but it was afterwards proved in
Court. to have been of a very trifling nature. At
the time this took place the manager of the estate was
absent on his duty at a distant part of it. As soon as
he was made acquainted with what had happened, he
reprimanded the sirdar severely, which was also done
by Mr. Stuart, the attorney, informing him that he
had no power under the law to inflict any punishment,
and had incurred heavy penalties in doing so. He
pleaded in justification that such was the common
practice in Bengal and the Mauritius, where he had
been. Report charged the manager with being a party
to this act ; and the Governor'et the colony, in conse-
quence, required that he and the sirdar (whose name
was Jacobs) should both be discharged ; to which, as
regardA the manager, Mr. Sanderson, Mr. Gladstone's
attorney, Mr. Stuart, refused to consent, believing him
to be falsely accused; as has since been established by
the voluntary statement made by this man on his trial,
which has since taken place, arid during which he
acquitted the manager of all previous knowledge of
the act.
A wish bas been expressed in Parliament that the
whole of the Coolies in Demerara and Berbice, about
400 in number, should be sent hack to Bengal by the
Government, at the public expense. Such a measure,
as far as Mr. Gladstone is concerned, would be injuri-
ous to his interest, inasmuch as that during the time
they have been in the colony they have had to gain
experience, which they are now applying usefully to his
advantage ; but should that course be adopted by Par-
liament, and Mr. Gladstone be indemnified and repaid
the heavy expense he has incurred in procuring and
engaging these labourers in Bengal, and taking them
thence to Demerara, amounting to more than 201. each,
be is ready to relinquish their services and to cancel
the agreements of all those who may really desire to re-
turn now to Calcutta, should there be any such in his
service, which is very doubtful, this fact being first
ascertained by authorized persons of respectability.
This, I think, is all that can be required, and Mr.
Gladstone is ready to abide the issue.
I have, &c., T. GLADSTONE.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL HEALTH OF THE COOLIES
THAT CAME FROM CALCUTTA, DURING THE VOYAGE
TO BRITISH GUIANA IN THE SHIP HESPERUS.
The whole number of Coolies on board when the ship
left Calcutta was 168, including six women and eleven
children., and they were. attended by two interpreters,
who spoke their language, and were well acquainted with
their habits and national peculiarities. With a few excep-
tions, the Coolies were strong, healthy-looking people,
though in many instances very emaciated, from the
defective diet, that is, in point of quantity, to which
they are constantly liable in their own country. They
were all examined by a medical officer at Calcutta,
and were likewise vaccinated previous to going on
board. They were in the ship for two days before
it sailed, and from the sudden alteration that took
place in the quantity and quality of their food, diarr-
hoea and dysentery soon made their appearance, ac-
companied in many ca,es, with vomiting, cramps, rice-
water evacuation,,, and other symptoms indicative of
cholera, which continued with great violence for nearly a
week and then disappeared as rapidly as it care on ;
those cases that were fatal proved so very rapidly ; and
in addition to the g' eat weakness that was present pre-
venting any very energetic treatment, there was the
further obstacle of their prejudices against taking any
medicine that was not made by themselves. With the
exception, however, of these instances, of which 11 were
fatal, and almost all of them old men, except one child only
five years old, the heath of the Coolies was particularly
good, nothing of any importance occurring beyond a
fee, cases of dysentery and one case of hemeralopia
(day blindnesa). When they arrived at Demerara
there was only one out of the whole number (156
who was eempiaining, and their appearance and con-
dition were so altered by the good treatmenl, and
regular food that they had enjoyed during the voy-
age of 90 days, that they did not look like the
same people who had so lately' been reduced in their
owe eoulary to a single handful of for a days'
allowance. They were always happy and contented,
utldersteod perfectly for what purpose they had been
engaged, and repeatedly expressed their desire to give
a
tistaction by behaving well. Their comfort and happi-
nessb the estates to which they have gone in British
Guiana have been
Provided for in the most liberal man-
, net, anal they are co •
tion with the treatmennttintnhaelylyheaxyperessing their satisfac-
I am perfectly
convinced myself, AW of
met with ; in short,
from what I 5,
them in the East indie,s,
that a most fortunate eh and their manner of life there,
change for them has taken place
by sending them to Demerara,hi
eand that few will wish
to return at the expiration of
t
own country, after having
enjoyedrap4prenticeship to their
abun-
dance that they were utter strangers. to bef comfort and
J. P. RICHMOZie.
D, M.D.