The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-19 00:00:00

•

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER--
„
EMIGRATION. k 13'
Return of Ships, their Names and Tonrihrelat:-!-
ployed in carrying Emigrants since the passing of
the Colonial Passengers' Act. Ordered by the
House of Commons to be printed, July 17, 1841.
NO. 503.
This return does not suggest to us any more
favourable impression of the advantages derived from
the establishment of what is called the "Land am/
Emigration Commission" than we have found our-
selves able to announce on former occasions. It it
difficult to perceive why the Colonial Department
should have been relieved at all of a branch of busi-
ness so legitimately coming under their cognizance
as the superintendence of free emigration from this
country ; and it is not less difficult to discover in
what consists that superior management and energy
of official administration which shall reconcile the
country to the cost of maintaining such a Commission
and its staff. This return comprises-
1. A Return of all Ships, with their Names and
Tonnage, that have been employed in carrying Emi-
-tso,4 from the United Kingdom since the passing of
Colonial Passengers' Act, as far as the same
the fito),
up ; together
cat/ be tilgux:' with the number of such
n d.
ships of which the Emigration Commissioners have
had information of noticed.
2. A Copy of all the Cc.: respondence which has taken
place between the Public .130,7 r& and Public Officers,
in the year 1843, resp,,cting the emigrant ships
Catherine and John and Robert, conveying emigrants
to Cape Breton and Canada.
3. A Return of the Number of Etnigraots, distin-
guishing men, women, and children, shipped on
boward the ship Catherine; and a similar return of
emigrant s transhipped on board the ship Jo;:u and
Robert.
Now, No. 2 regards the case of a party of emigrants:
from Tobermorey, one of the poor and overpeopled.
estates, if we mistake not, of the Duke of Argyll.
The second letter of Lieut. Stark does appear to us to
disclose facts which called for some very signal repre-
hension on the part of the Government Commission.
But we subjoin both this rntleman's letters, that our
readers may form their ovm judgment on the matter ;
" Government Emigration-office, Belfast
August tg, 1843.
" Sir,—l beg to acquaint you, for the information
of the Board, that the ship Catherine of Belfast has
just put into this port in a very lea:4.fy state. She
sailed from Tobermorey for Cape Breton ,and Quebec
upwards of four weeks ago. A store is provided for
the reception of the poor people, and of cour.;e they
will receive the requisite provisions, according ,to the
Act, until the defects of the ship are either made Food,
or another ship prepared for their reception. !'hey
amount to about 220 adult passengers.-1 have, &c.:
(Signed) " PETER STARK.
" Stephen Walcott, Esq."
" Government Emigration-office, Belfast,
August 26, 1843.
" beg to acquaint you that some of the
poor people in the Catherine (reported by me in my
letter of the 24th instant to have put in here in dis-
tress) having determined to return home, requested I
would endeavour to get their head-money restored to
them. Upon my urging them to proceed, and that
they hal always the ship's allowance of a pound of
bread a day to depend upon, a most extraordinary in-
fringement of the Act was disclosed.
" It appears that the bread in the master's charge
was paid for by the passengers themselves, and in
such proportions as their means admitted of. Thug,
the greater number received half a pound per day,
some few the whole pound, and others none. I at
once compelled an issue of the full allowance to all
for three days, and finding I could obtain no other
redress, I consulted with the magistrates as to whe-
ther they would grant me a summons against the
master, with a view to the recovery of the head-
money, as well as to make good the deficiency of the
bread withheld. It being their opinion that they
could not enforce it or assist me to obtain my object,
I then demanded a summons against that individual
for the infringement of the 6th clause of the Act,
which was at once granted, and which had the effect
of such an arrangement being made with the com-
plainants as to render my summons completely null,
as I could not procure any evidence; the passengers
in a body acknowledging they had no cause of com-
plaint; that they were satisfied, and had been well
treated by the captain in all their trials, &c.
" Many of the poor people embarked from four to
five weeks previous to the ship's departure, during
which period they neither received provisions nor
any other compensation.
" Every possible exertion is being made to get a.
ship just returned from Quebec ready for the pas-
sengers, and I hope to get them off at the farthest
upon Wednesday, next.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) " PETER STARK.
" Stephen Walcott, Esq., &c., &c.
" P. S. It is ahnost superfluous to state, that I will
take care the necessary water, provisions, &c., kc.,
r the full ten weeks is made good, ere the required
certificate is granted for the ship's clearance?'
A more diluted affair than the response of Mr.
Walcc.)tt,. the Secretary to the " Colonial Land and
Emigration Commission," we have not often chanced
upon :

" Colonial Land and Emigration:office,.

9, Park-street, Westminster: Aug. 29, 1843.
" Sir,—l am directed by the Board to acknowledge
the receipt of your letters of the 24th and 26th inst ,
on the subject of the arrival of the Catherine at
Belfast in a leaky state from Tobermorey on her way
to Cape Breton and Quebec.
" With respect to provisions during her detention
at your port, while the Commissioners regret that
your summons against the master failed from want of
evidence, they are glad to perceive that arrangements
'nave been made in consequence, which are satisfac-
tory to the people; and they approve of your inten-
tion of requiring that the full allowance of provisions
and water be made good before the ship be permitted
to renew the voyage."
What possible object was to be gained by the
printing of so very satisfactory and remedial a reply
to Lieut. Stark's communication, we cannot divine.
Our admiration, too, at the usefulness of the Commis-
sion itself waxes stronger and stronger on perusing,
such important announcements as these. It is grafi-
tify ing to learn, however, that those of the Tobermorey
intending emigrants who persevered in their original
design, safely reached their Canadian destination.
"Extract of a return from the Chief Government
Immigration Agent at Quebec, on the ship John and
Robert :
" A good vessel, and all well supplied according
to law, and landed in good health. The passengers
by this vessel are a part of the unfortunate emigrants
who embarked from the Western Isles in the ship
Catherine in the month of May, and put into Belfast
in distress, when they were re-embarked on board
this vessel.—l have, &c.,
(Signed)

" A. C. BUCHANAN,
" Chief Agent.' "

SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
The last flower show of the Royal South London Flo-
ricultural Society for the season was held at this very
attractive place of amusement on Tuesday, and was both
numerously attended and well calculated to sustain the
character of the establishment, as one combining a
greater diversity of rational entertainment than is to be
found almost at any other place of public resort in the
metropolis. To the ordinary recreations of the gardens
there is added, on the occasion of these flower displays,
an enjoyment of the most elegant kind, and the lovers
of nature have the opportunity of gratifying a refined
taste by the contemplation of some of the most choice
and exquisite productions, brought to the highest per-
fection of which they are susceptible by culture and skill.
The fruit and flower show, the principal feature of the
day, was rieli in the most luxuriant and refreshing spe•
cimens that can be raised at this period of the year. Not
the rarest flower or the most luscious fruit, but had its re-
presentative there, while the presence of the more un-
pretending classes of these productions showed the perfec-
tion that may be attained by skill and industry in
the cultivation of objects even of the most meagre
promise in their ordinary aspect. From the brilliant
and delicate dahlia to the marigold—from the aristo-
cratic pine to the homely onion, or the rustic potato—all
was in perfection. Ilearteases, fuchsias, coxcombs,
grapes, apples, apricots, vied with each other in tints and
dimensions which, if an artist attempted to emulate, he
would be liable to be taxed with exaggeration. If it be
allowable to individualise where so many objects were
deserving of equal distinction, one might notice a pine—
a blood pine—of real English growth, which in these
days of West India importation was really refreshing to
behold. The several marquees in which the specimens
were laid out were crowded during the day by throngs of
nimated spectators. - -
The first prize in the list, that of the large silver medal
for the twelve dahlias, dissimilar blooms, was awarded
to Lady
Paget. Extra prizes were thus allotted :—A
large silver medal, given by Mr. Groom for the best spe-
cimen of 'ilium lancifolium (of which that gentleman had
himself several splendid examples), to Mr. Schroder.
The Linnsan medal, given by Mr. Iliff for the best floral
device, to Mr. Henbrey, jun. A prize of given by
Mr. Tyler for the best forty-eight dahlias, dissimilar
blooms, to Mr. Thomas Brown ; and a silver cup, value
51. 55., for the best twenty-four dahlias, dissimilar blooms,
to Mr. John Cook.
The Directors of this Society judiciously encourage
enterprise and competition amongst all grades of contri-
butors ; for while they stimulate the emulation of
amateurs with the prospect of silver cups and medals,
they are willing to commute the honorary reward for a
pecuniary premium, which, to many of the professional
exhibitors would no doubt prove a more influential in-
centive. Altogether the arrangements of the day's ex-
hibition were of the most gratifying description. The
day's entertainments were closed with the " Great Fire
of London," represented with appropriate eclat, and with
a startling resemblance to reality. Those who have not
yet seen this vivid representation, would do well to
seize an opportunity of visiting it before its final with-
drawal, at the close of the present season, as it seems
that preparations for the ensuing compaign are already
in progress • and a subject (said to have been suggested
by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and to be o uni-
versal interest, and treated in a novel and magni-
ficent style) is destined to supersede the present gorgeous
exhihitunl.