THE EARL OF DUNRAVENasked Her Majesty's Government for information as to the nature of the inquiry to be undertaken by the two Commissioners from the Board of Trade recently sent to the United States to examine into immigration in that country; and as to the instructions given to them. He presumed this Board of Trade inquiry had reference to the question of immigration into this country. He had seen a statement that one of the Commissioners was Mr. Burnett, whose name was familiar to the House as Labour Correspondent of the Board of Trade, than whom it would be impossible to find anyone better qualified to undertake such an inquiry as far as labour was concerned, though possibly in other branches of the subject he might not he so well fitted to act. The other Commissioner, he understood, was Mr. Schloss, whose name probably was not equally so well known, and he wished to be informed whether that gentleman was also in the employ of the Board of Trade, or whether he had been selected for this particular mission on account of some special qualification or fitness? It was difficult to understand what information Her Majesty's Government expected to obtain that was not already accessible in the Reports of various Committees and Commissions, 1401 Consular Reports, and other evidence of the kind, and he would ask what the exact Reference of the Commissioners was, and what the nature and scope of the Inquiry was to be. The House and the country regarded the subject as of importance, and it was desirable some information should be given with regard to it.
§ LORD PLAYFAIRsaid the noble Lord had probably seen that a Return had been made in another place of the actual letter of instructions issued to the Commissioners, but, if not, it should of course be placed before the House as an unopposed Return. Possibly the noble Lord merely wished to draw out a short statement of the nature and object of sending out the Commissioners to the United States. A considerable amount of alarm had arisen, shared apparently by the noble Lord, from his remarks in the Draft Report of the Sweating Committee, from the supposed number of destitute aliens who had come to this country in recent years. In the Census of 1891 the total number of foreigners of all kinds in this country, including all possessed of means of their own, or earning a subsistence by trade, was singularly small— under 200,000. This number, however, had not excited alarm; the alarm was due to the increase among the Russian and Polish Jews, who came here in a state of poverty and with habits and customs which were not understood by our people, but their numbers were not so great as some imagined. The average number of Polish and Russian Jews, of Germans and Austrians, who came into the country was nearly 5,000 a year; but the number rose in 1891 to 10,000, though the number in 1892, not yet, however, complete, did not exceed about 7,000. The Board of Trade desired to obtain information from the United States, which had a larger experience, derived from the larger numbers of Russian and Polish Jews entering that country. In 1891 the number of Russian and Polish Jews entering the United States was 100,236,and in 1892 the number was 79,156. As America had tenfold the number of such immigrants that we had, she had tenfold the experience that we had of them. It was therefore desired to find out how these immigrants conducted themselves on their arrival there, and how far they were destitute of the means of living. It was thought that the best way 1402 to obtain useful information was to send out Commissioners to make specific inquiries. The existing law…, and proposals which are before Congress, may largely affect the emigration from this country, and the Government desired to know the tendency of feeling in the United States, and what was likely to be its action in the future. There was an influential party, headed by politicians of high repute, including General Walker, one of the highest authorities there, which advocated the total prohibition of immigration into the United States. It was impossible to conceive that that party could succeed in obtaining total prohibition, because a constant stream of immigrants seemed to be essential to the industries of the country. In the New England States one-half the population were immigrants or of foreign birth, and they performed almost all the labour. The immigration into the New England States included 40,000 Canadians annually. The Government desired to know what was likely to be the effect of restrictions upon emigration from this country, and upon emigration from Canada, for these French Canadians already formed one-tenth of the population in the New England States. All the menial labour was performed, and almost all the railways in the United States had been built, by foreigners; nearly all the mines were worked by them; much of the domestic labour was done by them; and he, therefore, could not think the Government there would go so far as total prohibition, which would be very serious to us, as our emigrants to that country numbered 88,000 annually. The United States law already authorised the sending back of immigrants who could not earn their own livelihood, but the numbers so sent back had only been 99 in 1890, 57 in 1891, 170 in 1892. As absolute prohibition or increased restrictive law was likely to have a great influence upon this country, and on Canada especially, it was desirable we should know what had been the restrictions upon foreign immigration, especially that of Russian and Polish Jews, and with regard to-the subject generally. He did not know the official position of Mr. Schloss, but was assured that he was a very competent person to assist in such an inquiry. He was to inquire specially into the laws 1403 of the United States and their administration, and Mr. Burnett was to inquire into the economic effect of that portion of the immigration which was of a destitute character from the East of Europe, and from England. The Report was to be ready by July next.
§ LORD DE RAMSEYwished to know whether arrangements of last Session were being continued in this country to note the number of immigrants who remained here, and the number who passed through on their way to America; and, also, whether a record is kept of Jews landing in this country, who, we are told, do not come on the rates, they being looked after by the Jewish Boards of Guardians?
§ LORD PLAYFAIRsaid that these statistics were carefully compiled by Mr. Giffen, and would be found in the last Report on Emigration from the Board of Trade.
THE EARL OF DUNRAVENsaid, that complete inquiries of so extensive a character could not be made, and the results embodied in a Report, by July next. In the meantime, as the matter was one of importance to this country, he should take an opportunity of calling attention to it at a future date.