The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-19
LETTER From CHINA.
CANTON, September Is, 1859.


To the Editor of the National Era:
In former letter gave you an account of
a visit paid to large coolie barracoon, or
prison, in Macao. The unfortunate beings
| whom l then saw, aud enough more collected
since to make nine hundred, are crowded on a
French ship, and are on the way to Havana.
Several other ships are waiting for cargoes, and
among them the American ship Norway, of
2,078 tons, one of the largest vessels in the
East, is advertised to sail for Havana These
facts indicate that the trade thrives briskly,
and that men are ready with their capital and
ships to engage in a business which promises
such large rewards 1t bids fair to rival the
African slave trade in magnitude, as well as
in the cruelties perpetrated in its prosecution.
The immense population of the country offers
large field from which to gather victims; and
although the rulers of the country do not wage
war to get supply of slaves, as in Africa, yet
multtudes will deceive and ensnare the young
and unwary, and the same end will be accom-
plished by different means, yet equally unjust
The sufferings experienced by the coolies in
many cases on shipboard are not surpassed by
any of the horrors of the middle passage. The
" Waverley" case will be remembered by
many of your readers. Having put into Ma
nilla, signs of rebellion were manifested, and
the matches were closed down the next morn
ing, $50 men, or half the cargo, were taken
out dead men. A Dutch ship, in 1856, started
from Macao, but put back. The ship was
burnt in the harbor, and more than half her
cargo were lost.
From number of articles entitled Horrors
of the Coolie Trade" published in the China
Mail, of Hong Kong, select the following
"The Lady Montague, 7G3 tons, sailed from
Cumsingmoon, (near Macao,) February 9Th,
1850, with $50 Chinese emigrants, who be-
heved they were going to the gold diggings in
California, but were secretly destined by the
supercargo, for Calao, to be employed loading
guano ships at the Peruvian islands. As the
captain of the Lady Montague was to receive
sixty dollars per day for the conveyance Of the
emigrants to Callao, it was his interest to make
the voyage as long as possible. He accord
ingly took southerly course on leaving China,
aud proceeded round South Australia. Three
days after leaving Cumsingmoon, sea-sickness
broke out, and soon afterwards some fatal NAL
ady, by which, before the ship reached the Peru
Wan coast, nearly 800 of the emigrants and crew
died. The voyage to Callao occupied four
months" See China Mail, July 10, 1856.
1t is unnecessary to quote other examples of
the sufferings or crueties on board the coolie
ships. These do not affect the main question,
for wrongs are often inflicted on European
emigrsnt ships. 1t is fact, also, that recently
the coolie ships have been better fitted up, and
the comfort of the passengers so well provided
for, that in some cases but few deaths have oc.
CURED between China and Havana. The in.
terest of the parties concerned was sufficient
inducement for this; and it is only to be won.
dered that they did not discover it sooner.
In discussing this coolie trade, it is necessary
to know that contract is entered into between
the agent and the coolie. Blank forms Of this
contract are printed in Chinese on one side of
a sheet of paper, and in Spanish on the other.
give below a literal translation from the Chi
nese of one used by M. Laget, the agent of
Messrs. Bazaine 4 Co., Marseilles, France who
has shipped several thousand Chinese to Ha-
vana within the present year.l
THE CONTRACT.
"a contract entered into between -, who
is a native of -- town and - district in |
the province Of, aged about - years, and
NJ. Laget, agent who employs the party of the |
first part to go to Havana, in the Island of
Cuba, to labor"
The items are |. follows:
The coolie viii go on board the ship -,
selected by the agent, and 60 to Havana, in the |
Island Of Cuba. Having arrived there, he will |
obey the commands of -, Or if this contract |
shall be transferred by - to any other man.
then he viii obey the commands of this other |
man. He agrees to perform labor for the term |
of eight years. Whatever kind of work he is |
required to do, whether in the city or country, |
whether in house or a barn, whether in the |
field or in village, whether in mills or thresh.
ing floors, or any other kind of work whatso-
ever, he will obey all commands.
". The term Of eight years is to be reck-
oned from the eighth day after landing in Ha-
vana, or, if the coole is sick, he is to be put in
the hospital, and then the term is to be reck.
oned from the eighth day after leaving the hos
pital.
"3. On each day, whether he works slow or
fast, there must be fixed amount of work
done. Every day, there is time for resting
and there are also two meals, which are to be |
regulated by the customs of the place.
"a. On Sundays, no work is to be done, ex-
cept that which is important.
as. In whatever place the coolie labors, be
must in all things conform to the customs of
the place. If he does not work diligently, or
disobeys the commands of the master or head
man La v>a~xn,< l,~un~1c A. l.. |