The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-15
THE COOLIE SLAVE TRADE-WHAT BE-
COMES OF THE CHINESE APPRENTICES
IN CUBA?
[ From the London Star, June %. ]

lH'""' ~ ->' '''"'' Oo''S SOL
1t is now no longer secret shut up in the dis
patch boxes of the Foreign office, that heightened
correspondence upon the cOoc trade and the laws
relating to it. has taken place between the British
and the French and American governments, couch
ed on the part of the two latter, in the strongest
possible language, and even going to the extent OF
demanding the suppression of a trade alleged to be
characterized BY all the horrors and incidents of
regular slave traffic. 1t is possible there may be
a tinge of exaggeration in the zeal with which
these two governments prefer their request, but
believe there is in the nature of the facts they
submit; at least in so far they relate the trans
porting of Chinese in Bgtlsh vessels to Cuba
The Earl of Carnarvon has very properly pointed
out that there two distinct branches of this new
traffic in men-namely, that which embraces the
conveyance of the so called immigrants to British
colonies, and that which involves their transmission
to foreign possessions. For the present, we will
conine attention to the latter, because it is
questionable that France and America have the
strongest grounds for resisting the remOnstrances
addressed to them by government on the subject
of the slave trade which the permits under his
hag and the other openly practices, so long Brit
ish vessels and capital permitted to be employ
ed in carrying a trade in Chinese coolies to the
slave colonies of Spain.
Now unhesitatingly declare it to be the duty
of our government to prohibit his branch of the raf
JIG as being open to all the objections that be urged
against the stare trade ITSELF that neu form of 1t
cdtled free emigration from Africa. The Earl of
Carnarvon states, upon the authority of Sir John
Bowrng, that to obtain these Chinese laborers for
Cuba there is scarcely single device left untried.
They are drugged with opium until stupefed, and
in this condition taken on board; they vio-
lently kidnapped, or bribed, openly purchased.
When once on board, they made to sign what is
called a contract to serve eight years in a colony
they hear named but which subsequently turns out
to be different one.
In one case number of the unfortunate Chinese,
who had been enticed on board under false preten-
ces, fell sick, and were landed on the beach and
abandoned, it being considered too expensive to
treat them medically Many died of starvation, and
the others were devoured by dogs and swine The
mortality on the voyage to Cuba is often frightn.
From the 23d of February to the 1st of September
1856, 3,S6S men and seven women were imported
into Cuba from China. In case, out of 200
emgrants, l32 died during passage of l49 days.
In another l22 died out Of 175, during passage
of III days. Both these occurred on board British
vessels.
The total number of Chinese coolies imported
into Cuba, from the Sd of June, 1S47 to the 1st of
September, lS56-since which date no returns have
yet been published-is II, $50. What has become of
them? They have all been absorbed into the slave
population; for Mr.. Consul Crawford ailrms that
they treated with little more consideration, and
that not more than onehaf will outliye their eight
years term of service. es, this is the system
which our government permits whilst it is remon-
stratng with France against the prosecution of her
free immigration scheme, and with the United
States for allowing the stars and stripes to cover the
negro slave trade.
1t cannot be denied that so long as it does not
prohibit the conveying of Chinese to slave colonies
in, British vessels, foreign governments have col
orablc pretext for declining to take any steps to
check similar enterprises prosecuted by their sub
ects. As Lord Brougham very pertinently re-
marked, their answer would naturally be-"Y on
have no right to complain of our obtaining slaves
from the Western coast Of Africa, when you are
carrying a similar trade in coolies
But it may be alleged that the objections do
not exist against the system of obtaining Chinese
coolies for the British West India colones We ap-
prehend the difference is scarcely appreciable The
Chinese immigration act of 1855, which came into
ed to provide remedy for the notorious abuses of