Ships at Sea Stories

                Emigrants crossing the Atlantic Ocean to come to America

Text Box: Emigrants on Their Way to The Place of Embarkation - December 21st, 1844 Since April this year, emigration has been progressively going on, not only to the South Seas, but also to the Canadas, and vast numbers of persons have availed themselves of the Government grant to quit their native shores for the purpose of seeking a better subsistence in the land of the stranger; and when we look at the existing condition of a considerable portion of our agricultural and manufacturing population, it excites but little wonder that a feverish restlessness should arise for change, though, unfortunately, it but too frequently happens, that a removal from one locality causes very trifling improvement, if any at all, in another. Like disease, we may change the place of our abode, but still keep the pain. By a vote of the House of Commons a large sum was appropriated to enable families, and single men and women, to emigrate, free of expense — the men to consist of agricultural labourers, shepherds, bricklayers, and masons, wheelwrights, smiths, carpenters, &c.; and the single women and single men not to be less than eighteen years of age, and under thirty. A form of application is sent up to the agents, stating the place to which the applicant wishes to emigrate, their name written by themselves (if they can write), whether in the receipt of parish relief, and if so, for how long, their present place of residence, and other minor particulars, together with the trade or calling of each, age at the last birthday, and certificate of baptism. The applicants are likewise required to make a declaration that they have read the regulations for the selection of emigrants; have neither by themselves nor any other person paid, or authorised to be paid, any sum of money beyond the Government bounty, excepting £1 for bedding, box, and utensils, and they must pledge themselves to conform to the rules for the management and welfare of all on board, and not leave the ship until she reaches her destination. With these documents must be forwarded certificates, signed by two respectable householders, not being publicans or dealers in beer or spirits (why this latter exclusion should be made, we really cannot see), that they have known the applicants (for the time mentioned), working at their occupation, and that they believe them to be honest, industrious, sober, of general good character, and not likely to become a burden to the Colony. The next requisites are the certificates of a physician or a surgeon as to bodily health; of a magistrate, Protestant Clergyman, or Catholic Priest, that the signatures to the other certificates are genuine. These forms are invariably used in cases of unmarried men and women, and those for married people with families are much the same, except that the plural is used instead of the singular. It has been generally supposed that the free emigrants are all paupers, glad to escape from the thraldom and confinement of a union workhouse; but this is a great mistake. There may be, and no doubt are, many of this character, but the chief portion are cottagers, most of whom have never received parish relief—families struggling with numerous difficulties to gain a precarious livelihood, and enduring severe privations and hardships in the inclement season of winter; and some few are persons who have been better off in the world, but, reduced by unforeseen events, are desirous of speculating with their little remnant of property, under a hope of retrieving their circumstances, and amongst these may be found individuals whose wounded pride cannot bear the thoughts of their old associates and friends witnessing their descent to poverty. The general age of married men and women who wish to take advantage of the grant must be under forty at the time of embarkation, and parents who are still hale and capable of work, between forty and fifty years old, with grown-up children, are taken, provided some of the latter are above ten years of age, according to the following proportions: If the age of the father or mother, or both, be above 40 and under 42 they must have 1 child above 10; Between the age of 42 and 44 2 children above 10 years Between the age of 44 and 46 3 children above 10 years Between the age of 46 and 48 4 children above 10 years Between the age of 48 and 50 5 children above 10 years ..and there have been, even at this latter period of life, many who have braved the perils of the ocean— “Hope and enterprise filling the sails with their eager breath” in order to locate themselves in an Eldorado of the imagination—unmindful of “Home, sweet Home,” amidst the soil that is sanctified by the ashes of their forefathers; and, let the descendants be in what part of the habitable globe they may, they will still look towards England, and give no other place the name of Home. It is no difficult matter to quit the land of our nativity; but whilst the pulses of existence continue to throb in the human frame, the link, which binds us to the spot where our eyes first opened to the light of Heaven, as we hung upon the bosom of a mother, can never be broken. We have known settlers in various parts of the world who have been residents there thirty, ay, even forty years, and though on the verge of eternity, still their hearts best, dearest affections have been bound up with England, Ireland, or Scotland, and they have longed to lay their perishing remains by the side of kindred dust. Beside the free emigrants are what are denominated steerage passengers — that is, those who pay for their voyage out according to a fixed scale, and generally consist of young men willing to push their fortunes, or having colonial appointments—eccentric talent and genius, longing to rifle the treasures of a new world—cautious speculators in human wants and human miseries—debtors who have lived too freely in England, and consequently wish to cut the acquaintance of their creditors wish a long list of etceteras. Some have prospered exceedingly; more have returned back, much worse than they set out, whilst in numerical superiority the greater past lie buried in the silent grave. Yet all this is going on apparently without exciting the slightest observation from those who remain behind. Thousands quit the rural villages of this country to embark for far distant lands, and yet but little notice is taken of it. The political quack doctors of the times assert, that as phlebotomy is necessary to allow of an unrestrained action of the heart, so is running off the blood of kindred requisite to preserve a healthy state of society otherwise, as the veins get clogged with the over-flux of the stream of life, so is a superabundant population calculated to produce an unnatural and diseased condition amongst the community in general. It, perhaps, would be well if these empirics, with those who manufacture the nostrums, were shipped in bulk to experience the effects of their own prescriptions. It has hitherto proved manifest that emigrants have not been lacking. Hundreds go out every month, and, from what we have seen of the men, women, and children, they are certainly some of the finest specimens of the sons and daughters of Old England. We had frequently remarked this on former occasions, whilst witnessing their embarkation, and last week we had an opportunity of seeing an intermediate stage, between their acceptance as emigrants and departure from the endearing haunts of childhood, and the arrival at the depot near the Royal Dockyard at Deptford—which, to do the agents justice, is fitted up very comfortably for their reception. There were two covered or tilted farmer’s hay-wagons—one from a parish in Buckinghamshire, and the other (we believe) from the neighbourhood of Northampton; they had joined company on the road. The women and children, with but few exceptions, occupied the conveyances, which were loaded with packages, bundles, and boxes; a few of the more elderly females walked on the pathway by the side of their husbands and sons; the younger men trudging it with seeming glee, and carrying various articles we conjecture for immediate use. It was indeed a most picturesque spectacle, and well worthy the pencil of the artist. The leafless trees and hedges—the miry road, with long serpentine wheel tracks; the yellow wagons, with their inanimate and living freight, covered with light canvas; the women habited in blue or red cloaks; the men in their frocks blending in colour with the many hues of the bundles; and, above all, the object of their journey was well calculated to excite human sympathy. Yet no one appeared sad or sorrowful—on the contrary, all seemed to be cheerful; and their clean and decent appearance bore witness to the propriety of their general habits: the whole looked remarkably healthy, especially the children. By this time they are on their way to other regions: may prosperity and happiness attend them. Taken from the "Ships List" site at this link...                 Taken from Various Sources with Citations that Follow