Inducements to the Colored People of the United States to Emigrate to British Guiana E-Book

Richard Hildreth

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• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Compiled from Statements and Documents furnished by Mr. Edward Carbery, Agent of the "Immigration Society of British Guiana," and a Proprietor in that Colony.  

Leseprobe

Edward Carbery

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Table of contents

INDUCEMENTS

I. SITUATION, EXTENT, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES, CLIMATE, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS OF BRITISH GUIANA.

II. FORM OF GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, CIVIL DIVISIONS, POPULATION, SOCIAL EQUALITY.

III. SPECIAL LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LABORERS AND EMIGRANTS.

IV. TAXES, MILITARY DUTY, RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION, EDUCATION.

V. DEMAND FOR LABOR, KINDS OF LABOR, WAGES.

VI. OFFERS MADE TO SUCH FREE COLORED PERSONS OF THE UNITED STATES, AS MAY CHOOSE TO EMIGRATE TO BRITISH GUIANA.

VII. DIRECTIONS TO PERSONS WISHING TO EMIGRATE.

No. II.

Title: Inducements to the Colored People of the United States to Emigrate to British Guiana Author: Richard Hildreth Edward Carbery Language: English

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INDUCEMENTS

TO THE

COLORED PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

TO EMIGRATE TO BRITISH GUIANA,

Compiled from Statements and Documents furnished by Mr. Edward Carbery, Agent of the "Immigration Society of British Guiana," and a Proprietor in that Colony.

BY A FRIEND TO THE COLORED PEOPLE.

BOSTON: PRINTED FOR DISTRIBUTION. KIDDER AND WRIGHT, CONGRESS STREET. 1840.

INDUCEMENTS.

I. SITUATION, EXTENT, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES, CLIMATE, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS OF BRITISH GUIANA.

Guiana is a vast tract of territory situated on the north-east coast of South America, between the mouths of those celebrated rivers, the Oronoco and the Amazons.

British Guiana includes a portion of this coast, extending some two hundred miles from east to west, bounded on the east by the river Corentyn which separates it from Dutch Guiana, or Surinam, and on the west by the Morocco creek, or the tract of country adjacent to it, belonging to the republic of Venezuela. British Guiana extends inland from the coast some two hundred miles, in a southerly direction, to a chain of high mountains, by which it is bounded on the south, and which separates it from Brazil. It thus includes an area of upwards of forty thousand square miles, being about equal in extent to the State of New York.

The whole country slopes gradually down from the mountains to the sea. The back country is hilly and much diversified in surface; the land along the sea-coast is flat, level, and extremely fertile. The colony is watered by three large rivers, the Essequebo, the Demarara, and the Berbice. These rivers descend from the mountains, and run parallel to each other at nearly equal distances. They are navigable for many miles, and together with numerous smaller rivers and creeks, they not only afford great facilities for internal navigation, but also for irrigating the land, a thing of great importance in that climate.

British Guiana never suffers from those violent storms and hurricanes with which other tropical regions are visited. Along the whole coast, vessels can ride at anchor in perfect safety, at all seasons of the year. The whole shore is a bed of deep soft mud, and can be approached by vessels without danger.

The latitude of the coast, along which the settlements are situated, is about seven degrees, north. The longitude of Georgetown, the capital, is about fifty-seven degrees west from Greenwich. Its direction from the city of New York is considerably east of south. The distance is about two thousand miles, or twenty days' sail, very nearly the same distance as New Orleans.

Situated under the tropic, Guiana enjoys a perpetual summer. The thermometer generally ranges from 78° to 84°. The trade winds, which blow constantly from the coast, render the climate comfortable and salubrious. The year is divided into four seasons, two rainy and two dry. The short rainy season usually commences about December, and lasts four weeks: the long rainy season begins in June, and lasts till the middle of August. But as regards these seasons there is a good deal of variation. In the rainy season, the rain falls violently during the forenoon, but the afternoons are clear and pleasant. During the dry season occasional showers occur.

The only portion of this fertile country which has yet been settled and cultivated, is a narrow strip extending along the coast, and a little distance up the mouths of the principal rivers, together with some islands at the entrance of the Essequebo. The plantations are generally about half a mile wide, fronting on the sea, and extending back two, three, four or five miles. This series of adjoining plantations forms the only cultivated part of the country, which thus resembles a long string of villages half a mile apart.

The soil of the plantations, which is very deep and rich, is divided by canals into separate fields. The same fields are cultivated in constant succession, and no manure is ever used. The canals not only serve to drain and irrigate the land, but also to convey the canes, when cut, to the sugar-house. Sugar and coffee are principally cultivated. There are a few cotton plantations, and some devoted to the cultivation of the plantain, which, with a rich variety of other vegetables, such as the sweet potato, the banana, yams, the casava, &c., furnish a large part of the food of the inhabitants. There are also large cattle farms. Cattle are abundant, and beef is cheap.

The uncultivated tracts abound with a vast variety of useful plants and trees. Many of the trees furnish excellent timber. There are in the colony several steam mills employed in the manufacture of lumber.

II. FORM OF GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, CIVIL DIVISIONS, POPULATION, SOCIAL EQUALITY.

British Guiana is a colony, conquered some forty years since from the Dutch, belonging to Great Britain. It is what is called a crown colony, and all its laws are made, or revised in England.

The governor, whose authority is very extensive, is appointed by the British queen. He is assisted in his administration by a council of nine persons, called the Court of Policy, four of whom are high executive officers appointed by the Crown. The other five are chosen by the inhabitants. No law made by the Court of Policy can remain in force unless it be approved in England by the queen in council.

Justice is administered by a Supreme Court consisting of three Judges, who are always lawyers of high standing, sent out from Great Britain. In the criminal trials which come before this court, the judges are assisted by three assessors, who answer to our jurymen, being persons chosen by lot from among the inhabitants,—who have an equal vote with the judges. No prisoner can be found guilty, except by at least four votes out of the six.