Colonial Emigration Nineteenth, Twentieth Centuries : Annual Reports from the Port of Calcutta to the British and Foreign Colonies, Vol. II

"In the 1880s, emigration was entering its 50 years, starting with Mauritius, from 1834. Barring a period of four years when an embargo was clamped on emigration to Mauritius (1838-1842), and brief stoppages of emigration to the French and Dutch colonies, emigration to the colonies can be considered as one of the largest industry in the world in the 19 century. Shipping became another very large industry with ships tonnage and size increasing year by year, to accommodate emigrants and then to carry provisions to the colonies. The age of sails were gradually being replaced by the steam ships.

A voyage by sailing ships from Calcutta, from the 1830 to the 1860s, took upto two months to Mauritius, three to five months to the West Indies. When the steam ships appeared, "The Malda" took 17 days to reach Mauritius from Calcutta in 1874-75, against journeys ranging from 30 to 60 days, depending on the weather. Similarly, "The Brechin Castle", in 1875-76 took 73 days to reach Trinidad from Calcutta, against 100-200 days. The "Blenheim" and "The Enmore" took 25 to 27 days to reach Natal from Calcutta in 1874-75 against the normal 40 to 70 days.

Mortality on long voyages by sailing ships reduced considerably on the short voyages by steam ships that offered better accommodation and vastly improved ventilation in the lower decks, where stuffiness was the main cause of bacteria and fatal diseases.

When crops were abundant, recruitment of emigrants became difficult. Famine continued to plague India and in 1884, during the period of these Annual reports, although records show there was a scarcity of food, the mortality figures were estimated at over 750,000 people in Southern and South Eastern Panjab. There were famines in 1884-85 in Bengal, Bihar, Chota Nagpore, Bellary and Anantpur district in Madras; in 1886-87, the Central Provinces; in \'88-89 Behar; in 1889 in Orissa, in 1888-\'89 in Ganjam (Madras) and the total mortality was reported to be 1,500,000 people. We can safely conclude that the figures were much higher.

However, emigration continued as before. The deserted, abandoned, neglected islands, vast territories on the continents were thereby developed by Indian Indentured Labour. The Colonial Emigration Acts may be referred to for guidance of conditions and terms under which emigration took place." (jacket)