§ LORD J. MANNERSwished to ask the Under Secretary for the Colonies a question respecting the alleged mortality in ships conveying emigrants to Canada and to the United States. A statement he had received showed that the loss of life at sea had been extensive; and he hoped that something had been done to mitigate the evil.
§ MR. HAWESlamented to say, that the representations the noble Lord had received, were, he believed, but too well founded. There had unfortunately prevailed an extensive mortality on board vessels conveying emigrants both to Canada and to the United States. The Governor General of Canada had called the attention of the noble Lord at the head of the Colonial Department to the subject; and his noble Friend 973 in consequence had sent out a despatch stating that he was extremely concerned to receive such lamentable accounts of the state of the passengers on their arrival on the other side of the Atlantic, and instructing the Governor General to take all possible measures to mitigate the sufferings of the individuals, whether as regarded the quarantine laws, the commissariat department, or medical attendance, and promising that the extraordinary expenses thus incurred should be duly defrayed. Pursuant to these instructions the Governor General bad immediately taken measures to increase the medical assistance and to afford additional accommodation to the sick. He believed, therefore, that all had been done which could be done; and he hoped that the next advices would be more satisfactory. He did not apprehend that the mortality was owing to the state of the water on board the ships. He begged to inform the noble Lord that no accounts to that effect had reached the Colonial Office; and he doubted whether the loss of life was occasioned by want of accommodation, or want of purity in the water. In point of fact, the passengers in vessels which, after having sailed only a few days, were driven back by stress of weather, were found to be suffering extensively from fever and other kinds of disease. The House was perhaps aware that emigration agents had no power over the embarkation of passengers. They could only see that the contract entered into was fairly executed, and that the necessary provision was properly stored in; beyond that, they could do nothing. He wished it therefore to be understood, that whatever had happened, had not proceeded from any neglect of Government officers on this side of the water. On the other side of the water, the distressing subject had attracted due attention; and he was sure that the Governor General of Canada had done all in his power to remedy the lamentable evil.
§ LORD J. MANNERSwas anxious to understand whether any farther steps had been taken on this side the water to prevent a recurrence of the calamity.
§ MR. HAWEScould not undertake to say that no farther measures would be adopted: whatever could be done would not be neglected; and if anything could be accomplished in the way of additional vigilance, by directing the attention of emigration agents or parochial authorities to the matter, the opportunity would certainly not be lost.