Mr. Crewents R. Maxam, C.B,, reviews, in the December number of the Geographical Magazine, a memorial presented to the Congress of Peru by the Minister of State. The review is written in a friendly spirit, and from Mr, Markham's personal knowledge of the country, we may be assured that this friendliness is not without foundation. The abuses of the coolie trade from Macao had turned the minds of all right principled men against the continuance of a traffic which led to the undoubted enormities we have so frequently had to chronicle. We pointed out, all through, that these abuses were inseparable from a system of contract emigration, and that the very need of introducing such a system seemed to prove there was something essentially wrong at the foundation, Mr. Markham's paper will remove many misconceptions, and probably enable us the better to arrive at an understanding of the circumstances whose abuse led to the undeniable atrocities of the Macao coolie trade.
So many conflicting statements have at various times appeared, as to the treat. ment of the Chinese emigrants in Pern, that an authoritative statement like that put forward by Mr. Markham cannot but be received with satisfac. tion, On the one hand we had the statements of those who told us of the miseries and injustice to which the emigrant Chinese were subjected on the other, we were told of the ease and comfort which awaited the emigrant in his new home. It is possible that both were founded equally on truth, and yet that both were equally likely to lead to a false impression. Mr. Markham's paper, while possibly painting the lot of the Chinese coolie settled in Pern in rather too glowing terms, shows what steps have been taken by the Peruvian Government to ameliorate his position, and what are really the ordinary feelings of the Peravians themselves—on the subject of contract labour. He points out that Peru, of its own motion, took an early and independent action in the abolition of slavery that the country no sooner had gained its own independence than it adopted a scheme for the gradual abolition of slavery; and this was before such a project was seriously discussed even in the Parliament of Great Britain. The emancipation, it wisely considered, should be gradual, and of this policy it never lost sight, one step being taken after another till, in 1855, the emancipation of slaves became complete and entire. The disposition of the cultivators in Pera has been of a like nature with that of the body of the State. As a rule, they are Kindly and conside rate employers of Inbour, a fact which probably accounts for the possibility of gradual emancipation, which elsewhere has been found almost if not quite impossible. The Peruvian Government, actuated by these principles, has provided machinery for the suppress sion of any attempts at cruelty or oppress sion towards the emigrant coolies and, altogether, one is left with a feeling of surprise that so much wrong should have been done, under the shadow of so many precautions for ood."
It isnot denied, however, that abuses of © grave kind have taken place with regard to the introduction of emigrants from Macao, and Mr. Markham does not attempt to free the Government from blame. He however points out what were the defects in the system, and as these seem to be understood, and were about to be acted on by the Peravian Government, it may be hoped that in future a wholesome emigration may be established. Great Britain has.found it necessary to jealously supervise all systems purporting to introduce labour into the several colonies. Such cases as that of the notorious Carl prove that no nationality can trust such matters to private hands, The Peravian Government must have been for many years aware of the abuses which were being enacted apparently with its full sanction; but public feel. ing does not appear to have sufficiently aroused itself to the necessity of getting rid of the imputations thereby cast on the policy of the Government, till the case of the Maria Luz drew the attention of the world to the position of affairs. It must be remembered that, for years previously, the attention of the two Governments of Peru and Portugal had been drawn to the abuses of the traffic, but that remonstrances bad been vain in procuring a diminution of the objectionable element of making contracts with private individuals for the supply of labour. It is the remembrance of the indifference with which all such representations were treated by the two Governments concerned, which induces on our side a little hesitancy as to the full accept. ance of the very favourable report of Mr. Markham, as to the happiness and prosperity of the Chinese emigrants, However, out of the Maria Luz case much good did come. It induced the Peruvian Government to send a mission to China, under an able officer, Captain Garcia of the Peravian navy. Theirrita. tion which the conduct of the Japanese Government undoubtedly caused in Peru seemed to show that, of many of the worst details of the system of emigration till then in vogue, the Peruvian Government was ignorant, Captain Garcia's mission probably, en. lightened him, as well ashes Government, as to the true condition of affairs, and his proceedings in Japan and China reflect credit on his judgment and ability. It is equally to his credit, and to that of his Government, that in the face of the prejudices which had grown up strongly against him and them, he was able to negotiate the Peruvian treaty with China, We have already spoken in approving terms of the conditions of that treaty, and Mr. Markham's paper affords us some hope that, in the conditions provided for the well-being of the Chinese emigrants, the Peruvian Government have been actuated by motives of sound and consistent policy. Froe emigration between China and Peru cannot fail to be of great mutual advantage; if the Peray ian Government will undertake to carry it on in proper vessels and under proper supervision, it cannot but meet the approval of all. The example of the British Colonies in the West Indies shows that, in the practical carrying out of such a system, difficulties will arise; but, doubtless, Pera has advantages for the bona fide emigrant not possessed by Demarara or the other West India Colonies; and the example of San Francisco shows that a passenger traffic once started will continue to maintain itself, if left unfettered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.