(From The Illustrated London News, May 7, 1870.)

Departures of Emigrants for Canada

The Ganges, a fine screw-steamer, of 1899 tons register, W.S. Mason, commander, left the Victoria Docks, on Wednesday week, at eleven o'clock, having on board a large party of emigrants connected with the East-End Emigration club, a society acting in union with the committee of the British and Colonial Emigration Fund. Of the entire number of 761 souls who were on the lists as going by this ship, only four were wanting at the moment the vessel cast off from the quay. Among the parties present to witness the departure of the emigrants were Lord and Lady Alfred Churchill, Sir T. Fowell Buxton; Mr. Andrew Johnston, M.P.; the Rev. J.F. and Mrs. Kitto, the Rev. W.J. Caparn, Mr. E.H. Currie, and others. The Rev. J. Cohen, Rector of Whitechapel, was also on board, going in the vessel to Canada as chaplain, in company with Mrs. Cohen. Captain Forster, R.N., the chief emigration inspector for the port of London, was present in discharge of his official duties, and no effort seemed to be wanting to secure the comfort of the passengers. Close at hand, the screw-steamer Tweed, belonging to Messrs. Temperley's line of packets, displayed her bunting in gay profusion, being herself destined to start for Canada next morning with another large party of emigrants, under the auspices of the same societies. Besides the visitors on board the Ganges, many of whom accompanied the vessel as far down the river as Gravesend, a number of working people line the adjacent quays, manifesting a lively interest in the proceedings, and cheering loudly as the Ganges proceeded out of dock. The emigrants were somewhat superior to the usual class, a circumstance partly attributable to the fact that they themselves contributed to the cost of their passage at the rate of £3 per statute adult. The actual cost of sending out this ship-load of emigrants will be rather more than £3400, exclusive of a sum of £1142, which has been advanced from Kelsall's Emigration Charity, to meet the expenses of an outfit, and to give the emigrant a start on his landing. The obvious deficit has been made up in various ways. Public subscriptions to the club have added £200 to the members' payments; the Poplar Board of Guardians has contributed a further sum of £100; assistance has also been given from the Manufacturers' Relief Fund; and the balance has been met by the British and Colonial Emigration Fund, of which the Lord Mayor is president, and towards which the Right Hon. G.J. Goschen, M.P., and his brother have each contributed £1000.

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