EAST INDIA TRANSPORT SHIPS. (Hansard, 17 April 1860)

§ SIR CHARLES WOOD

stated that the transmission of the soldiers' wives and children to India took place under the di- 1888 rection and superintendence of the Emigration Commissioners, and he could not do better than read a report which they had drawn up on the subject. The facts were these:— Thirteen ships were originally taken up for the conveyance of 5,410 souls. We have received intelligence of the arrival in India of nine of these ships, which carried 3,747 souls. In these the mortality was 377, equal to 10 per cent. But this mortality was almost exclusively of children under five years old. Of adults (that is all above 12) there died 11 out of 1,820=.60 per cent. Of children between 12 and 5 inclusive, 24 out of 866=2.77 per cent; making, out of all above four years of age, 35 out of 2,686=1.30 per cent. This is rather less than the whole mortality in Australian emigration (1.32 per cent.), and, considering the class of women, that the voyage occupied nearly four months, and passed twice through the tropics, it must be allowed to be very small. But among children under five the mortality amounted to 341 out of 1,061=32 per cent. With very few exceptions it was caused by measles and scarlet fever, which broke out in almost every ship shortly after sailing. These diseases were, no doubt, aggravated by the weakness of both children and mothers, caused by the unusually stormy weather which prevailed in October and November last, when the ships sailed. It is to be observed, moreover, that the children under five years of age in these nine ships amounted to nearly 29 per cent, the average in the population generally being 13.10. This disproportion necessarily assisted the spread of the disease and increased the mortality. That the sickness was not caused by any defect in the ships or the provisions is to be inferred from the absence of any disease of the character of scurvy or typhus as well as from the small mortality in children above four years of age. A more direct proof is afforded by the reports which we have received from Bombay and Madras. In each case an inquiry was, we believe, instituted, but only three reports have yet reached us—those on the Euxine, Statesman, and Lancashire Witch. They are annexed hereto, together with an extract of a private letter from Captain Wellesley, R.N., Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy. The mortality, as has been said, was attributable to the great number of very young children on board. In our emigration, this can be avoided, because our power of selection enables us to reject families containing many young children. But in sending out the soldiers' wives it was inevitable that their children should be sent with them, so that the number of young children became a necessary part of the arrangement. The question remains whether due care was taken to ascertain that there was no sickness among the children before they were put on board. In this respect the same plan was followed as has been followed for many years with complete success in regard to Australian ships. The surgeons of the ships were required to be at the depôts as soon as the first of the people came in, and to continue there till they embarked. This period varied from three to five days. It is the interest of these surgeons, no less than their duty, to see that no infectious disease is introduced into their ships, not only because the introduction of such diseases increases their labour and responsi- 1889 bility on the voyage, but because their remuneration at the close of it is reduced by every death that occurs. The surgeons had full authority and were bound to land any child whom they suspected to be suffering from infectious disease, and to delay the sailing of the ship so long as they had any doubt as to their sanitary condition. But every one's experience must satisfy them that no medical skill is sufficient to detect measles or scarlet fever in a latent form; and to have delayed the ships until time had been given for any latent disease to develope itself would have postponed their departure from this country till the cold and wet of winter had set in, and their arrival in India till the season had passed during which they could have been sent up the country. Moreover, if they had been detained in depôts on shore, it would have been impossible to prevent their going into the towns and being exposed to whatever infection was there prevailing. If they had been detained on board ship the cold and damp of November, added to the weariness of inaction, would have produced such depression of mind as must of itself have caused disease. This statement from the Emigration Commissioners had been put into his hands that afternoon. The India Office had nothing to do with the matter. Since they had entrusted that Board as being the most competent persons to undertake it, with the duty of providing transport for the wives and children of soldiers to India.