Histories

BOUNTIED EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION

Known as bountied European immigration, this practice commenced in May of 1834 with the arrival of 64 Germans after a 108-day journey from the town of Bremen. They were recruited by the brother of Mr. Solomon Myers, the German Jewish owner of a coffee estate in St. George's (now part of Portland). Myers received financial support from the Jamaican Assembly to cover shipping costs and help settle his first group near Buff Bay in a district that became known as Bremen Valley. It failed miserably. Many of the 25 men, 18 women and 21 children left, some moving on to Clarendon to join the police. So Myers tried a second time, importing 506 Germans again from Bremen with the Assembly's support. After 37 days, they arrived in Port Royal in December 1834. Myers kept 20 for himself and divided the remainder among planters from St. Ann's Bay, Montego Bay, Manchester, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon. At this time, other planters began to import Europeans from England, Scotland and Ireland. Like the Germans, many did not wind up staying in agricultural work. They moved into domestic service and left the interior for towns.

By the end of 1834, the Assembly appointed a recruiter, a Prussian named William Lemonius. He was charged with organizing the importation of German and English labourers and work towards the establishment of a colonial government project involving three European Townships in the island's interior. In 1835 the third wave of Germans arrived, again from Bremen. Of this 532, almost half were sent to form the Cornwall township of Seaford Town, the first of three townships slated for settlement, even though only 17 of the cottages slated to be ready for them on arrival were completed. More joined them in 1836 from the second lot organized by Lemonius. The other two townships were earmarked for Middlesex in St. Ann, near to the St. Mary border and Altamont on the Portland coast.

The township plan was to be regulated by the Immigration Act of 1836 which stipulated the terms and conditions of indentureship. These included the importer's being responsible for shipping, food and other needs of the immigrants, the fact that on completion of 6 months of residence, the importer would receive £12 for all persons 12 years or older and £8 for those under 12 and that all immigrants would be exempt from taxation whiles during their period of indenture. In 1840 the Act increased the amount of financial assistance given to the planters (which was often used to cover shipping costs) and limited the indentureship to a period of one year. By 1841, however, the European Immigration policy was deemed a failure. The Germans had failed to entice the ex-slaves to perform harder. In fact, they were envious of the ex-slaves' access to their own provision grounds and tended to work less industriously as a result (Hall, p. 54). By 1842 the authority to appoint recruiting agents in Europe had ended, penalties were instated against those who employed immigrants in unhealthy situations and the government's expenditure on immigration was limited to £20,000 a year, a reduction of £30,000 from 1840 (Hall, p. 52-53). The Government had begun to look elsewhere in earnest for sources of labour, namely China and India.

[Dr Rebecca Tortello, jamaica-gleaner.com]

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IMMIGRATION REPORT 1841
The following is taken from the 1842 Jamaica Almanac

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REPORT ON IMMIGRATION
Since the beginning of November, 1840, to the 30th September, 1841, 1417 immigrants have been imported into this island, under the provisions, of the immigration act. A considerable number have also been brought into the island (probably two hundred) by private individuals, and who have applied for the amount of passage money, under the 29th clause of the act; but the said clause not having been full complied with, their applications have not been acceded to, although I have no doubt I may soon be placed in a situation to enable me to comply with these applications.

A few coloured Americans have, at various periods, arrived here from Baltimore, and have done well, and gave a favorable impression of that class of immigrants, which causes me to regret that so few of them have removed here. One vessel from Philadelphia, with fifty-seven people, arrived in Kingston about the end of last year; a small number of these were coloured people, but most of them were a mixed lot of Germans, Scotch, English, and Irish, some of them have done well, but on the whole, they were a bad selection.

The William Pirrie, from Stranraer, in Scotland [See Immigration 1], Robert Kerr, from Limerick, Hopewell, Etheldred [See Immigration 2], and New Phoenix, from London [See Immigration 3], have brought out chiefly Irish with some English; The Rob Roy, from Aberdeen, in Scotland [See Immigration 2], brought out all Scotch: the ship Hector, and brig Commissioner Barclay, from Sierra Leone, brought Africans and Maroons [See Immigration 2]. The expense that has been incurred, if laid on the people imported to this date, will make the charge for each individual appear heavy; but it must be borne in mind, that in carrying out a great scheme like the present, the outlay at the commencement will be more considerable than at any future period. The expense attending a commissioner, whose services were absolutely necessary in the first instance, in appointing agents in America, Great Britain, and Ireland, and in carrying out the grand object of putting in train a system of African emigration, will no longer be necessary. A considerable sum of money that appears to the debit of immigration funds, is only an apparent (not a real) expenditure, as applied in calculating the expense of those immigrants hitherto imported, as a considerable sum of money is still unapplied in the Colonial Bank, London. The sum of five hundred pounds remitted to the Messrs. J. W. Dunscomb & Co. of Montreal, for the purpose of furthering the removal of the coloured people from Upper Canada (now Ontario) has not yet been expended. Monies laid out on the Commissioner Barclay, but covered by insurance - advances on account of the brig Herald, and other sums . . . will shew, in the best manner, the actual sum chargeable against the immigrants imported to the date of this report.

The expense hitherto has been considerably increased, owing to the more than usual charges at the depot at the Admiral’s Pen, arising out of the unlooked-for detention and sickness of a number of the people sent out in the ship Etheldred, and sending back to Britain twenty-seven of them, who became discontented and unwilling to remain in the country; and I must here express my opinion, that returning these people to the place from whence they came, was a just and wise measure, and one of real economy to the country. The expense of retaining them at the depot would have soon amounted to a large sum, with little chance of anyone employing a set of discontented people. . . .

That these people were not deceived, I am certain, as the best proofs have been forwarded by the West India Immigration Society, to shew that whenever there has been deception, it has been on the part of the immigrants, as they have not unfrequently described themselves, and obtained certificates, as agricultural labourers, when, on their arrival here, it was found they knew nothing of agricultural labour. These, however, are circumstances that must ever be unavoidable in an extensive scheme of immigration.

It is, however, my duty to state to your Excellency my firm conviction, that had the Etheldred, instead of going into Kingston, gone into, and landed her people at one of the outports, that all of them would have been immediately engaged, and much of the mortality, and almost all of the painful circumstances that subsequently arose, in connection with these people, would have been avoided. It cannot be questioned that their detention at the depot, with consequent sickness, originated entirely from the people having been tampered with, false hopes held out to them, and, instead, of their being led to look up to the officers appointed by the government for protection, they were instigated to view them as oppressors, desirous of deceiving, or aiding others in so doing, and that their hopes must rest altogether on individuals totally unconnected with the carrying out of the wise and humane provisions of the immigration act. On these causes must lie much of the onus of the mortality that has occurred at the depot at the Admiral’s Pen; and on them alone the expense incurred in sending back the discontented and ill-disposed.

That European immigration has not failed, I have only to refer to the various documents attached to this report . . . and to express my conviction, that, to a certain extent, it ought to be encouraged, and will be successful.

There are two modes in which I am satisfied it will succeed, and I would strongly urge its being persevered in, on the system I am about to detail. I regret that the numerous delays and difficulties in obtaining titles for the lands purchased as sites for the immigration villages, has so far kept me back as to prevent my laying before your Excellency the result of an experiment on which my strongest hopes rest of carrying out and establishing a successful system of European immigration. It will now be my duty to state what has been done in regard to these villages.

Your Excellency having approved of the following sites, viz. Barrett Ville, a part of Rose Hill pen, near the Moneague, on the Ocho Rios road, St. Ann’s; New England, part of the Metcalfe Ville, lands belonging to the Jamaica Silk Company, and nearly opposite Thickets, the property of the honorable William Parke, St. Ann’s; Ashentully, part of Spalding’s Grove land, and in the centre of a number of large coffee plantations in the Carpenter’s Mountain district, Manchester; and, lastly, a village on part of Mulgrave lands, the property of the honorable John Salmon, St. Elizabeth. On the first, Barrett Ville, I am about getting the cottages carried up to the place; and as they are all framed, I trust in a short time to get them erected, - the gardens fenced and planted in such provisions as may be best calculated for the immigrants on their arrival, and will use every effort to get the people out early in the spring. On the second village, New England, I have made considerable progress, having the land, which is heavy woodland, and soil very rich, fall and cleared off, and am now preparing a lime kiln, the completion of which will enable me to get rapidly on with the cottages. Several families are expected shortly from the New England States, in America, and who will occupy such houses as may be ready. The Jamaica silk Company, an undertaking highly promising, and well worthy the best support of the country, together with a number of large pens in the vicinity, will ensure constant employment for the villagers, and render my hopes of success very high.

The third village, “Ashentully,” from the last report of the sub-agent, Mr. Wheatle, is progressing steadily, and some of the cottages will shortly be erected, and the success that has, in several instances, attended the locating of European immigrants in Manchester, holds out reason for expecting success here.

The fourth village at Mulgrave, in St. Elizabeth, is also going on, and the honorable John Salmon having taking a deep interest in it, has given much of his attention to furthering its progress: there can be little doubt of success here, as about forty English immigrants having been located for several years on this property, and through the kindness and liberality of Mr. Salmon and his family, these people, although at first having many adverse circumstances to struggle against, have settled comfortably, are contented, and very healthy. I visited Mulgrave in February last, and saw most of the people. Who stated to me that they were able to work in the cane field throughout the day, like the country, and were happy, but most anxious to have more of their countrymen located near them. And were much pleased when I informed them that I would ask your Excellency to permit the establishing a village near them. It is my intention to procure the immigrants for this village from the same country as those already located came from, and they will go to the village under the most advantageous circumstances. My strong hopes of carrying out the village system on a still larger scale, arises from the circumstances of being able to select a healthy location, and so situated, as at all times to afford a constant supply of labour for the industrious, and, above all, the favorable first impression that is likely to be given to a labouring family on first landing in a strange country, to find themselves, after leaving the ship, stepping into a neat clean cottage, with a well-stocked garden attached, and having a week or a fortnight to rest and look about them, and get fairly settled down ere they resume their labour. With such advantages, and the advice of a judicious sub-agent in directing them in the first instance as to the best mode of job work, and various other matters connected with their interests, I feel assured a well-disposed labourer will find his condition much improved, and that the island will eventually benefit in the highest degree by such a population. . . .

When European immigrants are sent to this island with the intention of having them located on the property of individuals, I have to remark that the failure will be almost certain, unless it is conducted on a plan somewhat similar to the locating them in villages on land purchased by the public. To carry out successfully the locating of Europeans as labourers on private property, it must be restricted to properties in the interior well-watered, and known to be healthy. Cottages floored and placed judiciously, not too distant from the fields, and with a garden attached, and stocked with provisions, should be ready before the immigrants arrive. I am strongly opposed to granting what is commonly called provision grounds, very often at some distance from the cottages, and offered as a sort of bonus in unlimited quantity to the immigrants. If the labour of the people is required for five days in the week, but little advantage can be taken of the offered land, as Saturday will be required for marketing and taking care of the gardens. One acre of good land attached to the house is better to the labourer, than five at a distance, and with manure and proper cultivation, would last for a very long time; and, as well there is no inducement to withhold any portion of his labour from the property on which he is located.

No work should be required from the people for one or two weeks after their arrival, that time being necessary to enable them to settle down comfortable after a long voyage, and to allow them to satisfy their natural curiosity in looking about them, and although some may view these matters as trifles, they are of great consequence in such a matter, as shewing a degree of consideration for the people, as will go far in gaining their good will. Whenever it can be done, the milk of a cow should be allowed for a family or for two families, and each family should have a pig and a few fowls to commence with. Nothing could add more to the comfort of a poor family, than having the command of milk, and the proprietor need not fear for his cow, as in nine cases out of ten, she would be kept in the best condition. With such treatment, medical attendance, good advice, and care, on the part of the manager, and more particularly on coffee and pen properties, the European immigrants will, eventually repay the expenditure on the part of the proprietor. The benefits to be derived from the European to be imported into this island, although, I trust great, will be nothing in comparison to those that will be gained from the hardy race of natives that will spring up in the course of time; possessing the skill of their fathers, with a capability of bearing fatigue, without injury, in any part of the country.

I am borne out in this opinion, in looking to the population of Barbados and Puerto Rico. In the former I believe, about one-third of the whole population is white, and many of them working in the field; in the latter, there are a great many white labourers, who work in the field with the blacks and with equal vigor and impunity. It will be absolutely necessary, with the increase of white labourers to procure education for their children, and this has been so far provided for by the act, in the case of villages.Unless such preparations as I have described, are made for European labourers on their first arrival, the attempt to locate them must fail; as experience has satisfied me, that when they are carried to properties, where cottages and gardens are not ready for them, they can subsist on the current wages given to established and old settled labourers; when the labourer has to look to a store on the property for every article he wants, there is a strong inducement to run into debt, if the proprietor is liberal, and while he can procure everything at a store he will scarcely be anxious about establishing his garden grounds, and much time is generally wasted at the store, waiting for the articles wanted.

I believe it impossible for the white labourer, on first coming out to this country, to subsist on 1s. 6d. per day, without the advantages I have alluded to, but if he enters into a good cottage, finds provisions in the grounds ready for use, and the necessity, together with the mode of keeping up the same, is pointed out to him, together with his pig and poultry, then, with the current rate of wages, he will live, and by the time he has been twelve months in the country, and has become acquainted with the different kinds of labour, so as to engage in contracts, in carrying out which he can employ the labour of his family, he will not only find himself above want, but with prudence be able to save money.

. . . It is with some surprise that I find no application has hitherto been made for Germans. I have confidence in their answering where properly located, and that, in numbers together, they would be satisfied with a lower rate of wages than immigrants from Great Britain or Ireland, and are more easily fed. I wish to give them a trial in one of the villages to be erected next year, should I have your Excellency’s approval.

I have the pleasure in reporting to your Excellency that where Europeans have been located in the interior and higher districts, that the deaths have been few, in no case so numerous, that I am aware of, as would give a reason against its being continued. The principal number of deaths that have come under my knowledge have been among those who remained in the low lands, and chiefly about the town; and even here, as far as I can ascertain, the deaths, although numerous, have not borne any proportion to the numbers that have died among her majesty’s troops.

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