Immigrants to Canada

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Extracts From the Immigration Report of 1859

In the Sessional Papers of 23 Victoria 1860 (18) is the report of Mr. A.C. Buchanan, Chief Immigration Agent. These are extractions from that report.

• Of the whole number of vessels engaged in the conveyance of the Emigration of the year, 85 were Sailing Ships, and 35 Steamers. The former class had an average passage of 44 days, and brought 4471 persons. The Steamers, with an average passage from Liverpool of 11 days, from Glasgow of 16 days, carried altogether 4,307 persons. Distinguishing the Cabin from Steerage passengers, the following is the comparison (Page 2):

• The Emigration has been very healthy. The mortality among the Steerage Emigrants, which has been confined altogether to the Sailing Vessels, was only 15. The deaths among those from the United kingdom were but 2. Those among the Germans were 8, the Norwegians 5, making 13, and of these 11 were infants. No deaths occurred at the Quarantine Station during the Season - a circumstance which had not occurred since the establishment of the Station in 1832, a period of 27 years. (Page 2)
• From Ireland, the Emigration numbered but 417; a large proportion of which consisted in females and children. The whole were brought out in 12 ships. The largest number from any one port was from New Ross, being 194. The decrease, when compared with 1858, is 733 passengers, equal to 64 per cent." (Page 3)
• Return of the Number of persons who received assistance to emigrate from the United Kingdom, with the Amount paid them, during the Season of 1859.

Date	Vessel	Whence	# of Paupers	M	F	Children	Amount Paid	By Whom Sent Out - Remarks
May 2	North Briton	Liverpool	3	-	1	2		A soldier's widow- provided with passage
" 20	Dunbrody	New Ross	35	-	17	18	35£	Gorey Union - received 20s. Each on landing
" 27	Menapia	Wexford	13	-	13	-		Wexford Union - a free passage and outfit
" 27	John Bull	London	6	6	-	-	-	Grotto Passage Ragged School, Marlebone
June 11	North Briton	Liverpool	8	8	-	-	-	Mullingar Union - provided with passage only
" 14	Culloden	"	45	-	36	-	36£	Youghal Union - received 20s. Each on landing
" 14	Culloden	"	-	9	-	-	7£	Ragged School in London
" 14	Ocean Bride	"	18	7	7	4	16£	Chatham Union - adults, 20s.; children, 10s.
July 11	Czar	"	6	6	-	-	3£	London Reformatory - 10s. Each
Sept 20	Agnes	London	7	1	2	4	5£	Ware Union, £5, paid by Master of the Ship
Nov 7	North Briton	Liverpool	1	1	-	-	-	Reformatory in London - provided with free passage

• Six lads, from 16 to 19 years of age, were sent out from the Grotto Passage Ragged School, Marylebone. The received £1 each on landing here. Two were engaged in this city at L1 per month wages, and the other four have been employed in the neighbourhood of Montreal.

• Table No. 4 [see above table] presents a return of the number of persons who have been aided in their emigration to this country by private individuals, charitable institutions, or who have emigrated under the sanction of the Poor Law Commissioners. The total number assisted was 142 - 38 males, 76 females, and 28 children; and the amount paid among them on their arrival here was L108 sterling. The number from England was 46, viz., 25 from the Chatham Union, consisting of 8 men, 9 women, and 8 children; and 21 youths, from fifteen to eighteen years of age, from the London Ragged Schools.
• The Youths were readily supplied with situations, some in this City, but the chief part in the country settlements, where their services were eagerly sought for, as they are generally stout, active lads, willing and anxious to make themselves useful.
• Those from the Chatham Union were not of so desirable a class, consisting of middle-aged men and widows with children. The latter find great difficulty in procuring situations, and the charge they are subject to for the support of their children absorbs three-fourths of the wages they are able to earn.
• From Ireland the number was 95, viz.: 8 males, 53 females, and 14 widows accompanied by 20 children. Of this party there were 13 widows with 18 children, sent out by the Guardians of the Gorey Union. The remainder consisted of single females and lads from the Wexford, Mullingar, and Youghal Unions; all of whom readily found employment.
• I had occasion in my Report to Your Excellency, of last year, to point out the hardships and sufferings to which a party of widows with children, similarly situated to them of this year, and sent out by the same Union, were exposed from the difficulty which was experienced in procuring them any suitable employment. In consequence of the reception of a larger party this year from the same Union, I have felt called upon to make further and more direct representations to the Guardians, pointing out the cruelty of transferring this class of helpless poor to a country in which no provision whatever exists for them; and subsequently receiving very discouraging reports concerning them and their prospects from the Agents of this Department, where the party was distributed, I forward similar representations to the Emigration Commissioners of London, with the view of more effectually bringing the matter under the notice of the Poor Law Commissioners. (Page 4-5 for above items)
• There was but one complaint of infringement of the Passenger Act in the course of the past season. This was by the Passengers of the Brig William and Joseph, from Limerick. It did not, however, result in a prosecution, as the complainants refused to remain to prosecute..." (Page 5)
• The Canadian Ocean Mail Line [commonly known as the Allan Line] of Steamships commenced their weekly trips from Liverpool during the past season; and it is gratifying to find that they continue to maintain their high character for speed, safety, and comfort, fully establishing the fact of their equal efficiency with any other line of Atlantic Steamers, which cannot fail to prove of exceeding value to the Province, by bringing her into constant and immediate communication with the continent of Europe, as well as with the mother country, and be the means of attracting a large share of the pleasure as well as business travel to this route.
• The six Steamships composing this line made 28 passages, and brought out 3,859 passengers; and returning carried back 3,159 - 1,254 Cabin, and 1,905 Steerage passengers. Their average passage out was 11 days and 15 hours, and homewards 10 days and 10 hours. In addition to these vessels we have the Anchor Line of Screw Steamships from Glasgow, making regular monthly voyages. The vessels composing this line, two in number, made 7 passages during the season, and brought out 448 passengers, 123 Cabin and 325 Steerage; and on their return trips carried home 102 Cabin and 352 Steerage. Their average passage out was 161/2 days, and home 14 days.
• It thus appears that these two lines brought out very nearly one-half of the whole immigration of the season, and, if we take only those from the United Kingdom, they carried within 1,740 souls of the entire immigration to this port. On their return passages they carried home 3,613 persons, 2,257 of whom were classed as steerage passengers, including about 250 soldiers. (Page 11)
• The foreign emigration consisted of 554 Norwegians and 181 Germans. They have proceeded chiefly to the Western States, and 11 Norwegians to their friends in the Eastern Townships.
• Among the Germans per the ship "Main," from Hamburg, there were 19 families, consisting of 23 men, 21 women, and 49 children, from Pomerania. (See Prussian Immigrants)

Report of Mr. A.C. Buchanan, Chief Agent

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© Marjorie P. Kohli, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 1997-2007
Last updated: February 17, 2007 and maintained by Marj Kohli