The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-17 00:00:00

IMMIGRATION INTO THE MAURITIUS.

It is desirsble to begin by referring very briefly to the
history of emigration from India to this cob ny.
The first emigration commenced in 1834 and t nded in
1839. It was carried on entirely by private enterprise.
The labourers were intr duced under contracts of service,
which atter 1837 were limited in duration to five years, and
the emigrants were entitled at the end of that period to ts
free passage back to India. The abuses to which this system
was found to give rise were formidable; amongst the evils
proved to have been inflicted on the emigrants, it may
suffice to enumerate kidnapping, actual confinement in
Calcutta itself, and compulsory embarkation, betides
contracts on disadvantageous terms, which nevertheless
were seldom, if ever, strictly fulfilled. The number of
pers ms introduced in this first emigration from India
was 25,468, of whom 24,566 were male labourers.
At the end of 1842, the emigration was re-opened
under the direct superintendence of Government officers,
and a bounty was made payable in Mauritius on the
immigrants. No contract for sertice could be made
out of the colony, and none within the colony for a
longer period than one year. This mode :of emigra-
tion happily proved exempt from the former evils.
It continued throughout 1843, and for the first few
months of 1844, when it was succeeded by the third
and present system, under which the whole mea-
sures fot' the selection and conveyance of the emigrants
are &Volved exclusivtly on a responsible Goverment
officer. This change was made partly with a view of
lessening the expenses, and partly of •btaining a better
selection of emigrants, including a larger proportion of
women, in both of which respects it would app. ar from
the reports to have b-c n attended with success. The
whole number introduced under the renewed emigration,
from the commencement of 1843 to the end of 1844,
appears to have been 46.014, of whom 39,244 were male
labourers.
From these statements it follows that, in the course of
ten years, 71,482 people were introduced from India into
the island of Mauritius, of whom no less than 63,816 were
male labourers r servants.

IMMIGRATION INTO THE WEST INDIES-FROM INDIA.

On this important service, the steps t,., be tikon in this
country last year forrried at first a quk•sti..n Of some
difficulty -; we issued, in the mouth of May, with
the approval of the Secretary of State, an
advertisement, calling f...r tender:, of any ship-
ping which the owners would ,:ffrr (01 the chance of
the Indian agents boing able to supply them with emi-
grants. It was found, however, that shipowners would
not offer ships on these terms, except at rates which are
deemed higher than it was expedient. to Pay-
therefore, that in the meanwhile much more
encourag-
ing act-ounfs hsd arrived from Madridfir(c
the collection of emigrants had a
doubtful) and taking Seeing,
Port where
tthesepemed most
into consideration-ths country. we were
t the express desire
authorised, in the month
of the West India committee
of tlurnne. to issue a second ad-
vertisement for tenders,tee
d to the shipowner.
rtis.tment issued ott these
emliFhrea nootan
sweaqsulf uetnhcaeerraoonff thea
that followed,
terms, and ano similaradve nature
was
nvet)hieng about engagement of thirty-one vessels, capable of
8,000 coolies. The rates at which
they were taken up varying from 141. to 15s. •106. per
adult for the voyage from India to the West Indies.
co

Turning now from the measures taken in England,
we proceed to the information which has been received
from India. Both at Calcutta and Madras, offices
have been formed, including on the establishment at
each station, a surgeon for the examination of the
emigrants, paid at the rate of 2001. per annum. At
Madras, Captain Wilson has contracted for the sup-
ply of clothing required by coolies on the voyage,
and also for provisions during their maintenance in
depot, previous to their embarkation. The clothing of
each adult emigrant will cost about 21s. for males, and
15s. for females, and the maintenance in depot will cost
3id. per diem for each adult. Captain Wilson has also
entertd into a contract with a native for the collection
of such emigrants as may be required, at a charge of
about 10s. per statute adult. All the emigrants sent by
Captain Wilson in the seasons of 1844-5 appear to have
been procured by this individual.
By dispatches recently received we are glad to learn
that the Indian Act has been altered, so that emigration
may commence at Madras at an earlier period, viz., on
the Ist of September, instead of the Ist of October of
each year. This will be a very useful alteration, which
was much called for by the nature of the seasons at
Madras.
In the season of 1845-6, there were introduced into
Jamaica, British Gtatza., and Ter:41241843; elltiZTl:4s
. .
I i.:041.44;f1.