Immigrants to Canada

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Immigration Report of 1849 and 1850

Immigration Report for 1849 and 1850 from British Parliamentary Papers 1851

• "We the undersigned, late passengers on board the barque "Faithful," Thomas Allen, master, from Limerick, do herein make oath, that being desirous of emigrating from Ireland to Canada we were brought into communication with Captain Allen, who engaged to give us a passage in his vessel from that port to Matanne, on the river St. Lawrence; which place he said was convenient to Quebec, and was a better place to afford us work than that city. He agreed to give us, the deponents, and 15 other adult persons, each a passage to the said place called Matanne, for the sum of 2£ sterling, we agreeing to find our own provisions. We further depone, that the whole of the passengers, 19 in number, consisted of three women and 16 men, who all, excepting one man, of the name of James M'Mahon, who worked his passage out for the amount, and one female, whose passage was to be paid for in work by her brother on arrival in Canada, and two other passengers who short paid their passage-monies, 30s., paid Captain Allen, before sailing, the said sum of 2£ sterling each; that we did not go on board in the Port of Limerick, but at a place called Tiervoo, a short distance therefrom; that we sailed thence on the 29^th of April last, and arrived at Matanne on the 31^st of May; and that we received no provisions of any kind from the ship during the passage; and we further depone, that, in consequence of being disappointed of the work promised by the captain, the parties liable for the passage-money of one female, were unable to pay it in Matanne; upon which, the captain detained from the baggage of the parties, a pair of new blankets in payment of the said passage-money. And we also further depone, that being employed by Mr. Shipman, the agent of the vessel, that gentleman did, in consideration of our work, forward us in a schooner to Quebec, at which port we arrived on the 16^th of June; the remainder of the passengers, with the exception of two, proceeded on foot to Quebec.
  
  We, the undersigned, also depone and swear, that on paying our passage-money to the captain, we did not receive any contract ticket as receipt for the same, or any document whatever; but he required us to sign a paper which we understood to be an agreement; the contents of which we cannot now recollect, as we did not receive a copy of it.
  (Signed) James Hilcooly,
  Parish of Cratlow, Clare.
  
  (Signed) James O'Neill,
  Parish of Cratlow, county of Clare.
  
  Sworn before me, at the city of Quebec, this 19^th day of June 1849.
  (Signed) R. Symes, J.P.,
  For the City and District of Quebec."


• Of the 37,507 arrivals at Quebec till December 31^st 1849,there were 20,241 males, and 17,266 females. There were a total of 868 deaths on the voyage of which 730 were Irish persons and 3 were from Europe. Some 76 babies were also born on the voyage to Canada; 43 males and 33 females. England accounted for 8,661 of the emigrants, Scotland 4,837 and Ireland 10,714. There were only 176 persons from Europe and 964 from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, &c. From England there were 135 ships with the average voyage of 45 days. From Scotland there were 59 ships taking an average of 41¼ days, while from Ireland there were 150 vessels taking an average of 45¼ days. Vessels sailing from Europe were 4 in number taking an average of 49 days on the voyage.
• On the 18 May 1850 Dr. Douglas reported that of the 6,034 passengers only 27 had died at sea, 17 of which were children and nine "old persons over 60." He confined 21 to hospital of which 8 had small-pox.
  

Report of 1850

• Week of May 19^th to 31^st 1850
  

  80 vessels arrived with 9,135 passengers. "Among this number there died on the passage but 32, and 26 reported sick on arrival at Grosse Isle; proportions so small as scarcely to require notice.

  These vessels have all been fortunate in having made most favourable passages; the average of the 54 ships of which particulars are given, being but 33½ days. The averages from the chief ports were as follows:

  London	1 vessel	27 days	Waterford	4 vessels	32 days
  Liverpool	5 "	31 "	New Ross	5 "	34 "
  Plymouth	4 "	35 "	Sligo	3 "	30 "
  Limerick	10 "	33 "

  
  
  

  The quickest passage was that of the "Jessie" from Limerick, 22 days; and the longest was that of the "Caledonia," from the same port, 47 days.

  The number who have been sent out by their landlords, or assisted from their respective parishes, is 1,003; of these there were from Ireland, 505; England, 487. Three hundred and twenty of those from Ireland received landing-money, and 185 were provided with only a free passage. From England, 460 persons received 20s. sterling each adult on landing here which was paid to them through this office; and 27 appear to have received only a free passage.

  The amended Passenger Act, which came into operation this spring, has so far worked most satisfactorily; not a single complaint has been made to me by the passengers of any of these vessels; and the ine[?] eased scale of provisions has, no doubt, tended to the comfort and health of the passengers.

  Under the increased facilities which the St. Lawrence route offers for the transport of emigrants whose destination may be Upper Canada or any of the Western States, arrangements were made last winter by the two principal London houses engaged in the emigration business, so that emigrants were enabled to secure their passage in London to any port in the west; by which means they saved themselves trouble, time and expense. On board the "Ava" and "Laurel," the following numbers were thus forwarded through:

  To Montreal	105	To Buffalo	2
  " Kingston	4	" Cincinnatti	14
  " Port Hope	18	" Detroit	3
  " Toronto	27	" Milwaukie	11
  " Hamilton	43	" Chicago	2

  and from the satisfactory report received from many of these parties it is anticipated that a large number will adopt this plan next year.

  Unquestionably the route of the St. Lawrence offers many advantages over that of New York to all persons whose destination may be the west; as emigrants can, under present arrangements, be carried from this to Chicago, a distance of 1,650 miles, in from 8 to 10 days, with but two transhipments, for 40s. currency, or 32s. 9d. sterling.

• "I have the honour to transmit herewith the Chief Emigrant Agent's Return of Immigrants arrived at Quebec during the month of August, and the Abstract Quarterly Return for the quarter ending the 31^st July.

  I beg to call your Lordship's attention to the remarks therein made with respect to the 12 boys sent out by the Ragged School, in West-street, Smithfield.
  (Signed) Elgin & Kincardine

• "On board the "Denham," from London, there were 12 boys sent out by the Ragged School, in West-street, Smithfield. Two of them proceeded, on arrival, up the country; the remainder, on receipt of their landing-money, went to lodgings in this city. Several of them have been employed in discharging and loading the vessel; four have shipped themselves as sailors, and have returned to England, and the remainder are now desirous of making a similar arrangement. In future, the passage of such parties should be secured as far as Toronto, or instructions should be given, authorizing the application of their landing-money to this object, otherwise they will remain in idleness about the city as long as their money lasts, and then endeavour to secure a passage back to England, defeating altogether the object for which they were sent out."
• Of the 31,473 arrivals at Quebec till December 31^st 1850,there were 16,513 males, and 14,960 females. There were a total of 193 deaths on the voyage of which 53 were Irish persons and 4 were from Europe. Some 58 babies were also born on the voyage to Canada; 24 males and 34 females. England accounted for 9,584 of the emigrants, Scotland 2,679 and Ireland 17,666. There were only 849 persons from Europe and 695 from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, &c. From England there were 131 ships with the average voyage of 39¼ days. From Scotland there were 50 ships taking an average of 40 days, while from Ireland there were 120 vessels taking an average of 41 days. Vessels sailing from Europe were 11 in number taking an average of 55½ days on the voyage.
• There were 312 vessels from European ports "measuring 127,160 tons, and navigated by 4,867 seamen. Of this number, 18 were foreign vessels, measuring 5,442 tons, 11 of which came from Continental ports, 6 from Ireland, and 1 from Scotland.

  The foreign vessels which, under the operation of the amended Navigation Laws, have engaged in the passenger trade to Quebec in the past year, appear very generally to have given satisfaction. The ships have been of a good class, and well found, and the commanders men of intelligence and kindness. The passengers by these ships were, almost without exception, landed in excellent health; the consequence, perhaps, of a generally strict observance of cleanliness on board."

• "Of the whole number of passenger vessels, 18 brought out exclusively cabin passengers; 63 had not sufficient steerage passengers to bring them within the regulations of the Passenger Act; 48 had less than 50 passengers; 54 above 50 and under 100; 53 under 150; 34 under 200; 12 under 250; 7 under 300; 21 under 500; and 2 had over 500 each, on board.

  Forty-two vessels made two passages within the season; so that 270 vessels only were employed in the conveyance of emigrants to the port within the year."

• "The average length of passage to the quarantine station was, from England, 39½ days, from Ireland 41; from Scotland, 40; and from the Continental ports, 55½ days."
• "The deaths at sea have occurred chiefly among the midsummer and fall passengers. The only vessels in which mortality to any important extent occurred, were the "Three Bells," from Glasgow, with 262 passengers, arrived here on the 14^th August; the "Wandsworth," from Greenock, with 377 passengers, arrived on the 20^th August; and the "Jessy," from Limerick, with 390 passengers, arrived so late as the 10^th of October: the "Three Bells" had 15 deaths; the "Wandsworth" 14, and the "Jessy" 18, deaths at sea; and the last showed four additional fatal cases after landing in quarantine, making her total 22, and exhibiting the most extensive mortality of the season."
• "I have to report the loss of three emigrant vessels in the course of the year unattended, however, by any serious loss of life; the first, the "Neptune," from Whitby, with 32 passengers, was lost on the 2d of May, near Trinity Bay, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, passengers all saved; the brig "Wave," from Limerick, ran ashore at Cape Rosier, on the 6^th July, the passengers 166 in number, were all saved and brought to the city in river craft; the third, the ship "Bridgetown," from Liverpool, with 347 passengers, was wrecked on the coast of Newfoundland, near Cape Race, on the 4^th of August. Excepting three children, the passengers were saved and conveyed to St. John's, whence three vessels arrived with them at this port, on the 10^th of September. The passengers by the "Wave" and "Bridgetown," landed here in a very destitute state, having lost all their baggage, on which account they caused a heavy expenditure to the department. The outlay incurred at this and the Montreal agency, for their inland transport and provisions, was 152£ 5s., for which expense, owing to the loss of the vessels, no dues had been received."
• "Complaints were made by the passengers of three vessels, the "Empire," from New Ross, the "Bon Accord," from Limerick, and the "Sylvanus," from Westport, with claims for compensation for detention after the day fixed for sailing, as specified in the contract ticket."
• "On board one or two vessels from Irish ports, in the course of the season, ophthalmia of a severe type declared itself during the passage, and, after arrival, several of the passengers who had suffered became blind. Under the 10^th clause of the Act the masters in these cases were held to be liable to enter into a bond in the sum of 75£ that such persons should not become chargeable on the province for a space of three years.

  I have inquired into the law of the state of New York on this matter, and find that a similar clause applies only to the case of parties afflicted with disease at the time of their embarkation at the foreign ports. I here insert the clause referred to as taken from the revised laws concerning passengers in vessels coming to the state of New York, published during the present year (1850):

  3. It shall be the duty of the commissioners of emigration hereinafter named to examine into the condition of passengers arriving at the port of New York in any ship or vessel, and for that purpose all or any of the said commissioners, or such other person or persons as they shall appoint, shall be authorized to go on board and through any such ship or vessel; and if, on such examination, there shall be found among such passengers any lunatic, idiot, deaf, dumb, blind or infirm persons, not members of emigrating families, or who from attending circumstances are likely to become permanently a public charge, or who have been paupers in any other country, or who from sickness or disease existing at the time of departing from the foreign port are or are likely soon to become a public charge, they shall report the same to the said mayor particularly, and thereupon, and unless a bond as required in the second section of this Act shall have been given, the said mayor, or the person discharging the duties of his office, shall require, in the indorsement to be made as aforesaid, or on any subsequent indorsement or indorsements thereon, and in addition to the commutation-money, that the owner or consignee of such ship or vessel, with one or more sufficient sureties, shall execute a joint and several bond to the people of the state, in a penalty of 500 dollars for every such passenger, conditioned to indemnify and save harmless the commissioners of emigration, and each and every city, town or county within this state from any further cost or charge which said commissioners or any such city, town or county shall incur for the maintenance or support of the person or persons named in such bond, or any of them, within ten years from the date of such bond. The sureties to the said bond shall be required to justify, before and to satisfaction of the officer making such indorsement, and by their oath or affirmation shall satisfy such officer that they are respectively residents of the state of New York, and worth double the amount of the penalty of such bond, over and above all debts, liabilities and all property exempt from execution. The subsequent indorsement authorized in this section may be made at any time within ten days after such examination or of the landing of any such person or passenger."
• "In July last an Act was passed by the Legislature to encourage emigrants from Europe to the United States, to adopt the St. Lawrence route.

  It is proposed in this Act to refund one-half the duty now levied on each emigrant who shall come into this province with the declared intention of passing directly through it to the United States, and who shall not have been chargeable upon the province since his arrival therein. This law has been acted upon in one instance this year, the case of a party of Norwegians (the first that have ever arrived at this port), per the ship "Lyna," from Drammen, who all proceeded direct to Chicago. One-half the tax levied on this vessel, amounting to 22£ 1s. 3d., was refunded to the master. There is every prospect that the advantages which this Act affords, in addition to the other inducements that the route of the St. Lawrence offers, will lead to a further increase in this portion of our emigration. This party from Drammen, owing to the competition which existed at the time of their arrival, were carried through, from this place to Chicago, for 25s. each adult, including luggage."

• "From this it appears, that of the year's emigration but 18,880 have settled in Canada, and that 13,723 have gone to the United States.

  The number who have left the province is unusually large, and is to be accounted for from the fact that employment existed very generally throughout the northern and eastern states in the construction of railroads, affording the description of labour which most of the emigrants required."

• The number sent out from England, under the superintendence of the Poor Law Commissioners, was 921. They received, on landing, 1£ sterling each adult, amounting to 752£ 4s. 10d. sterling, 562£ 4s. 10d. of which was paid through this office, and 190£ was directed to be paid by the masters or other agents of the vessels on arrival at this port; 60 were aided by their respective parishes, either with a free passage or a small donation of money.

  On board the ship "Elspeth," there was a party of females, 18 in number, sent out under the auspices of the London Female Emigration Society. They were well provided with every necessary comfort during the passage, and forwarded, at the expense of the Society, to Toronto, where arrangements had been previously made, and a committee appointed to receive them. They were all placed in situations in the course of a few days. As this is the first party sent out by this Society to Canada, it is gratifying to find that the result has been satisfactory, and that, if proper selections be made, there is no doubt that a very considerable number can be annually provided for in Canada.

  From Scotland were sent out by the Duke of Argyle, from Tyree and Mull; 50 from Thurso, from the estate of the Duke of Sutherland; and on board the "George," from Oban, there were 11 families, 82 persons, sent out by their landlord, Mr. M'Donald. This party, being very poor, were forwarded at the expense of the emigrant fund to their destination in Glengarry.

  The number aided in their emigration from Ireland was 2,427, being a decrease of 1,865 of the same class sent out in 1849. There was an increase of 292 of those sent out by Poor Law Unions, the number being this year 1,573, against 1,261 in 1849. These last were well provided during the voyage, and received from 10s. to 20s. sterling each adult, to enable them to reach their destination; 705 were paid landing-money through this department, amounting to 458£ 2s. 6d. sterling; 366 received, on arrival here, from the masters of the vessels or other agents, the sum of 307£ 10s. sterling, and 502 were paid their money previous to embarkation.

  The number of persons sent out from the several Unions, for whom funds were remitted to this department, was as follows:

  Cork Union	254	136£ 17s. 6d.
  Londonderry Union	56	28£ 10s.
  Cootchill Union	44	36£
  Waterford Union	90	67£ 10s.
  Enniscorthy Union	23	19£ 19s.
  Dunfanaghy Union	46	19£ 10s.
  Dungarvan Union	192	150£

  Paid by the masters or through their agents:

  Inenderry and Lockington Unions	140	119£
  Charleston Workhouse	11	No return
  Rathdown Union	215	183£ 10s.

  Paid previous to embarkation:

  Baltinglass Union	275
  Athy and Abbeylease Unions	227

  Some delay occurred in the remittance of the funds for two of the parties, those from the Cootehill and Dungarvan Unions; but, although the parties had become scattered throughout the country, arrangements were made, through the agents of this department, by which each person received the amount due to him.

  Of the emigrants sent out by the Unions, a large proportion consisted of single females, women and children. The proportions are as follows

  The single females were chiefly from the Cork, Waterford and Dungarvan Unions. As female domestics were much required throughout the country, they were all without difficulty placed in situations in a satisfactory manner. The party from the Dungarvan Union, notwithstanding the length of time they were on the passage, and the late period of their arrival (9th October), landed here in good health, and were provided for most satisfactorily, as will be seen in the full particulars given of this party in the Appendix.

• "...showing the number of emigrants admitted for medical relief at the Quarantine Establishment to its close, on the 17^th October, at the Marine and Emigrant Hospital, Quebec, and at the General Hospital, Montreal; from which it appears, that the total number of cases under treatment, during the season, in Canada East, was 1,301, and the total deaths, 66.
• "emigration, on reference to which, in the Appendix, it will be seen, that the total number arrived in the colony was 32,648; viz:
  
  By the route of the St. Lawrence ...32,292
  By the route of the United States........356
  
  Of this number, there remained in the eastern section of the province 3,900
  Throughout the districts in West Canada 14,980
  Total remaining in the Province was 18,880
  Proceeded to the United States from Montreal, by the route of Lake Champlain 9,333
  Ditto from Western Canada, viâ Oswego and Buffalo 4,390
  And went to New Brunswick 45
  

  From this it appears, that of the year's emigration but 18,880 have settled in Canada, and that 13,723 have gone to the United States.

  The number who have left the province is unusually large, and is to be accounted for from the fact that employment existed very generally throughout northern and eastern states in the construction of railroads, affording the description of labour which most of the emigrants required.
• The accommodation and facilities for the conveyance of emigrants by the route of the St. Lawrence are now very complete; and their transportation is conducted upon a satisfactory and equitable system, which guarantees full protection to the emigrants, and presents, in every respect, a most favourable contrast to that from New York, viâ the Erie Canal, to Buffalo.

  The several railway companies and steam-boat proprietors interested in the routes from Montreal to the United States, viâ Lake Champlain, with a view to attract a portion of the emigrant travel from the St. Lawrence, advertised that they would convey emigrants from Montreal to Buffalo for four dollars each, which was one dollar less than by the St. Lawrence. They were to be forwarded, by steamer and railroad, to Schenectady, where they were to be transhipped to the Erie Canal packets. Being aware of the loss of time, and liability to imposition, to which the emigrants would be exposed on this route, I felt called upon publicly to caution them against it. The time occupied, under the most favourable circumstances, was 12 days; and instances have come to my knowledge of 22 days being taken to reach Buffalo, from Montreal, by this route. The time required by the St. Lawrence route is three-and-a-half days, and frequently no more than seventy hours, for the performance of the whole distance.

  The steamers on the St. Lawrence are large and commodious, and afford complete protection to the deck passengers from the weather at all times.

  A line of steamers from Montreal to Toronto and Hamilton, calling at all the intermediate ports on the route, and having a speed equal to that of the royal Mail steamers, came first into operation last season. By this line, emigrants were subjected to but one transhipment between Quebec and Hamilton, a distance of about 570 miles, and performed regularly in from three to three-and-a-half days.

  In consequence of the advantages secured in this route, two extensive firms in London, largely connected with the passenger trade, established a correspondence with a leading firm engaged in the forwarding and inland transport business in this country, through which parties were enabled to secure, in London, their passages direct to any place in the Western States. A very considerable number of persons from London and Southampton availed themselves of this arrangement; and I have every reason to believe, from the satisfactory manner in which the engagements with those parties were fulfilled, and the now more generally diffused knowledge of the advantages of this route of the St. Lawrence, that it will be adopted by a large increase both of English and foreign emigration."

• "The foreign shipping arrived at this port in the course of the year, many of them coming in ballast, after landing passengers at New York, have shown much interest in acquiring all the information connected with the Canadian line of inland communication; and I have taken pleasure in making them acquainted with its superiority for emigrants of all classes. There is little room to doubt that the foreign emigration, by way of this province, will be largely increased next year."

  It has come to my knowledge, also, that the German and Norwegian emigrants, who came by this route last season, were fully satisfied with it, and the accommodation and protection they received upon their journey westwards. I anticipate that the favourable accounts they have sent to their friends will be the means of inducing others to follow their course.

  The appointment which your Excellency was pleased to make of a German interpreter during the past season was found most beneficial. It was the means of conveying to the German people arriving here a great degree of confidence; and they were invariably much satisfied on finding a countryman of their own placed here to advise and protect them."

• "...Among those sent out by landlords a large proportion consisted of helpless families, selected on account of their total uselessness and inaptitude for labour of any kind. In the "Perseverante," from Dublin, there were from 25 to 30 families sent out, as they stated, by their landlord, from Queen's County, and furnished to the extent of a free passage to this port."
• "Another, and very destitute class of the Irish emigrants, who annually arrive by the route of the St. Lawrence, are the wives and families of parties who have emigrated in previous years, and who, by their industry, have been enabled to send home sufficient means to bring them just across the Atlantic. A large portion of this class have their destinations in the Western States; they are induced to take this route, it being cheaper than that by New York, and to some extent they were formerly encouraged in the expectation of being aided, on their arrival here, out of the emigrant fund; a large number of this class arrived during the past season whose destinations were throughout the frontier States, from Vermont to Missouri. In all cases where these families were without means, I obtained the husband's address, and wrote for immediate assistance to their families. In many cases money was sent, and I received sums amounting in the aggregate, during the season, to nearly 200£; but in several cases no answer was ever received."
• "The Scotch emigration was generally forwarded through to Montreal either with the vessel, or at the expense of the ship; the Irish; almost without exception, landed here."
• "There are now two railways in active construction, and the extent of the works to be executed in the course of the ensuing season is very considerable, so that, although they will not employ recent emigrants alone, there must still be openings for this class of labourers in large numbers."

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