IMMIGRATION.

A paper has just been laid before parliament, by command of His Excellency, embodying a return of the emigrant ships dispatched by the Emigration Agent for South Australia according to the provision of the Waste Lands Appropriation Act showing the number of souls carried by each vessel, with the equivalent number of statute adults, and the proportions of sexes and of nationalities amongst the emigrants ; together with the names of the master and surgeon, the passage-rate, tonnage, and dates of sailing and arrival of such ship. The document is one of much interest, especially at the present time, and our readers will doubtless be glad to be placed in possession of its contents. From the date of the resumption of immigration to the present time 33 vessels have arrived with immigrants, the total number of souls landed being 11,476.
The following is a summary of the arrivals :—
In the year 1862 three ships were dispatched— the Sir John Lawrence, the Castle Eden, and the Morning Star. They brought 1,066 persons, equivalent to 969 statute adults.
In 1863 five ships sailed—the Mary Shepherd, Adamant, Sir John Lawrence, Northumberland, and Utopia. These five vessels brought 1,700 persons, equal to 1,491 statute adults.
In 1864, the number of emigrant ships dispatched was eight—namely, Ocean Chief, Eastern Empire, Art Union, Adamant, Tarquin, Rockliff, Matilda Atheling, and Queen Bee, bringing 2,600 souls, equal to 2,300 statute adults.
In 1865 immigration reached its highest point since its resumption, the number of ships that sailed in that year being 14, as follows :— Burlington, Clara, Coldstream, Peeress, Norman Morrison, Cornwallis, Electric, Adamant, Lady Milton, Maori, Lincoln, Gosforth, Salamanca, and Trevelyan. These vessels brought over 4,847 souls, equivalent to 4,197 statute adults.
In the present year we have had three ships—the Atalanta, the Charlotte Gladstone, and the British Lion, bringing 1,263 persons, representing 1,130 statute adults.

Other vessels have sailed and been chartered; and one—the Ernestine—may arrive any day. With regard to sexes, we find that the total arrivals for the period specified comprise 6,423 males of all ages, and 5,053 females. As regards nationalities, there are 7,834 English, 2,093 Irish, and 1,569 Scotch. The highest passage rate for statute adults was by the Morning Star, £15 9s. 5d., although several others were over £15. The lowest was the Lady Milton, £12 3a. 7d. From £12 to £13 per statute adult was, however, the general rate in 1865 ; whilst in 1866, the passage rates were, per Atalanta, £12 6s. 9d. ; per Charlotte Gladstone, £12 10s.; and per British Lion, .£l4 4s. 9d. The immigrant vessels this year have been of larger tonnage than formerly, the Charlotte Gladstone, being 1,360 tons, and the British Lion 1,370. The Ernestine, which sailed April 23, is 1,048 tons, and was chartered at £12 18s. 9d.

Immigration Office, Port Adelaide, October 23. 1866.

Sir— I have the honour to forward for the information of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief the report of the department for the quarter ended September 30. 1866. During that period three vessels, chartered by Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners, have arrived in this province, bringing an aggregate of 1,136 souls.

The British Lion, of 1,162 tons, left Plymouth on the 10th day of April, and arrived off the Lightship on the 14th day of July, having been at sea 96 days. She was commanded by Mr. Francis P. Reid R.N.R., and Mr. Thomas Henry Mayne was the Surgeon-Superintendent. The British Lion was an unsuitable vessel for immigrants to this colony; she drew so much water as to make it impossible that she could cross the bar until a great part of her cargo was discharged. The immigrants after a long voyage ore most anxious to land and when they find that they may be detained an indefinite time on board it produces discontent and disturbance. On this occasion nearly 300 persons left the ship in one day, many of whom had no means of support. This, happening at a time when the labour market was in rather a depressed state, caused much temporary inconvenience to all concerned. I most strongly recommend that no vessel should be selected hereafter to carry immigrants to this colony which draws more than 17 feet of water on arrival. The British Lion is an old vessel, but newly coppered and registered A1 ; but all her upper sides and decks were leaky, and gaping when the ship was straining. The people during a great part of the voyage were constantly wet, and suffered much in consequence. In all other respects the British Lion was in a satisfactory state. The provisions and water were abundant and good. The distilling apparatus was by Graveley, to which was attached a steam cooking apparatus. The Surgeon-Superintendent says that as the engine is liable to accident, there should be some subsidiary means of cooking. On one occasion some little derangement occurred, which caused a delay of several hours, stopped cooking operations for the time, and caused much discontent. Four hundred and twenty-nine souls were landed. Three births and two deaths occurred during the voyage.

The Ernestine, 1,048 tons, sailed from Plymouth on the 8th day of May, and arrived on the 4th of September, having been at sea 111 days. She was commanded by Mr. R. W. Sterry, and Dr. Ambrose Newbold was Surgeon-Superintendent. The Ernestine is a very fine vessel in all respects lofty, well lighted, and well ventilated. The master and officers were most kind and attentive to the immigrants. The provisions were abundant and good. The immigrants were apparently a healthy class of people. There were four births and three deaths on board at sea. Two deaths were those of infants, the other that of a married woman who was naturally weak and delicate. She died from anaemia consequent on menorrhagia. The closets for the single women were most inconveniently situated, being on the quarter-deck. No surgeon, however vigilant, can properly keep decent order with closets fitted as in the Ernestine. I would strongly commend this matter to the attention of the authorities in England. A very simple means of preventing any indecency or irregularity is to raise a barricade a little in advance of the closets right across the quarter-deck, through which no one, except on duty, should be permitted to pass. In the ship Tarquin, which left Plymouth on the 20th September, 1864, under the medical superintendence of Dr. W. H, Pearse, an old officer in the service, this barricade was erected, and to that simple precaution he attributed much of the quietness and regularity during the voyage. Three hundred and sixty-nine souls were landed from the Ernestine. Dr. Newbold is a most efficient officer, having been in the service many years. He speaks highly of the conduct of the Matron, Miss S. Walford.

The Hougoumont, 874 tons, sailed from Plymouth on the 9th June, and arrived on the 16th September, having made the passage in 99 days. She was commanded by Mr. Wm. Cosens, and Dr. W. H. Pearse was Surgeon-Superintendent. Three hundred and thirty-eight souls were landed in the province. A few cases of measles occurred at sea, but the general health of the people was good. Four births and one death were the casualties at sea. The ship was well lighted and ventilated. The provisions were abundant and of good quality. The Surgeon-Superintendent reported that the chief mate had given him great trouble during the voyage. The chief mate, though he is ordered to hold no communication with the single women, obstinately disregarded his instructions, and though warned, both by the Surgeon-Superintendent and the master of the ship, he continued to hold conversations with the young women, showing a very bad example to al those under his command. In the present case the Surgeon-Superintendent has advised that his gratuity should be stopped. The Surgeon-Superintendent has also reported very unfavourably of the Matron, Miss Tozer. She has been in her conduct to the single women harsh, and has on more than one occasion, in her mode of speaking to the Irish single women, caused jealousies and heart burnings to arise amongst them on the score of nationality. She, moreover, gave no assistance to the surgeon in cooperating with him in the management of the single women. During the voyage serious complaints, of which she was cognizant, were made regarding circumstances which were said to have occurred in the single women's apartment ; but the Matron on no occasion informed the Surgeon-Superintendent of those matters till they had reached his ears by other channels ; in fact she stated to the master of the ship that she had nothing to do with doctors, that she was totally independent, and that she kept a journal of her own.  She seems to have considered herself in a position on board which, if for a moment recognised, will overturn all discipline. There must be on board one superintendent, who is to exercise control, who ought to be consulted in every emergency, and whose decision must be in all cases, while at sea, be final.

The Surgeon-Superintendent of the ship Ernestine gave me some tins of two kinds of preserved milk, prepared in America, and regarding which be was requested to give an opinion.. I have examined and compared these preparations with the desiccated milk which has been for many years in use in the emigration service. One preparation had an offensive smell and taste, both before and after being mixed with water in proper proportion, so that I cannot conceive it possible that young children could use it as food. Whether it had become bad at sea I had no means of determining. The other preparation was quite sweet, but by no means to be compared with the desiccated milk now in use. As a further proof, Grimwade's desiccated milk produces, on the addition of essence of rennet, a firm curd, which I have been unable to procure by any means— either by rennet or muriatic acid— from the two American preparations.

Some of the Surgeon-Superintendents, on arrival, have complained that Dr. Edmond's system of ventilation was of little or no use. I have made enquiries regarding their reasons for holding this opinion, and I think that in all cases these gentlemen have been in error. They expected to find a very great draught passing through the air-shaft, though it is quite easy to demonstrate that, without steam or artificial heat, there is a steady, continuous up-draught, if the cowl on the central shaft is properly adjusted, facing to leeward ; that is, with its back to the wind. A ship without this system of ventilation is much in the same state as a room without a chimney. The steady, continuous up-draught of a chimney is scarcely perceptible, but it purifies a room in a way which open doors and windows never can ; and the same tests which show the steady up-draught of a chimney without a fire, shows that this steady, imperceptible current of air passing upwards through the cowl is every moment going on. As a fire in a chimney, so, in Dr. Edmonds's system, where it is supplemented by a jet of steam through the cowl, the up-draught is very much increased. The problem to be solved was now to ventilate an emigrant ship passing through varying latitudes, storms, and calms. All previous systems of ventilation exposed the people in cold weather to great suffering and illness from blasts of cold wind ; and in calm, on the tropics, there was scarcely any ventilation whatever. Dr. Edmonds's system maintains a steady, continuous renewal of pure air in cold latitudes, without exposing the delicate people and children to violent draughts ; and in the tropics, in a calm, ensuring constant renewal of the air, which is made impure by the respiration of so many people. 1 am not taking notice at present of the system being a valuable means of preserving the timbers of the ship and purifying the air of the hold. The usual statistical returns are enclosed.

I have, &c., H. Duncan, M.D. Immigration Agent To the Hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration.

Sir.— I have the honor to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the report of this Department for the quarter which ended on the 31st December 1866.
During that time three ships, chartered by Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners, arrived in this Province.
The Prince of Wales, 1,254 tons, sailed from Plymouth on 21st July, and arrived here on the 17th day of October, having performed the voyage in eighty-eight days. On her arrival she was under the command of Mr. James Peat, who succeeded to the command on the death of Mr. John Rippon, who died at sea on the 23rd of September, in lat. 42° 59' south, and long. 50° 05' east. Mr Rippon was exceedingly respected by all the emigrants, and all the passenger deck, especially the single women's apartments, were covered with votive tablets to his memory. On the day of his burial the whole of the passengers and crew were mustered, and paraded on the deck in their best clothes. The burial service of the Church of England was most solemnly performed, and the Dead March in Saul was played by a most excellent band which had been organized from the commencement of the voyage by the Surgeon-Superintendent, Mr. J.T.S. Jolley.
This is the seventeenth voyage in which Mr. Jolley has taken charge of Government emigrants. He is very musical in his tastes ; he picked out from amongst the emigrants all who had any knowledge of the subject, at his own expense supplied them with musical instruments, and in a most agreeable manner, and tending greatly to refine the tastes of all on board.
All the different meals and watches on board were announced were announced by the bugle or the fife and drum, so that on the arrival of the ship the order observed was more like that of a man-of-war than an emigrant ship.
The Prince of Wales brought to the Colony 384 souls. She is a very fine, large vessel, lofty between decks, but she drew so much water that she was detained in the Gulf from the 17th of October, being the day of muster, till the 8th of November. This detention outside invariably produces much discontent amongst the people.
I again strongly recommend that no emigrant ship should be selected for this Colony which draws more than seventeen feet on arrival.
The Surgeon-Superintendent reported favourably of the behavior of all on board. The provisions were abundant and of good quality, and the people appeared physically well adapted for the Colony. The matron, Miss Glanville, was most efficient.

The Peeress, 777 tons, sailed from Plymouth on the 9th of August, and arrived on the 7th of November, having made the voyage in 90 days. There were 312 souls embarked and disembarked, no death or birth having happened during the voyage. She was commanded by Mr. John Cosens Tilmouth, and Mr. John Carroll was Surgeon-Superintendent. The ship on this voyage was well ventilated, and fairly adapted for the conveyance of emigrants. The health of the people during the voyage was excellent ; the behaviour of the emigrants was exceedingly good. The schoolmaster and matron are reported by the Surgeon-Superintendent as having performed their duties effectively. The people seemed to experience no difficulty in finding employment, as all the passengers finally quitted the ship eight days after her arrival, and 10 days before her lay days had expired.

The Canterbury, 1,290 tons, sailed from Plymouth on the 2nd day of October, and arrived here on the last day of the year, having made the voyage in ninety days. She was commanded by Mr. George Fentie, and Dr. James Barry was Surgeon Superintendent. Four hundred and forty souls were landed in the province. Six deaths, all of infants, and four births occurred before final disembarkation.
The ship was admirably adapted for emigrants, being lofty, well-lighted, and ventilated. The provisions were abundant and of good quality.
The master and officers of the ship had given every support to the Surgeon-Superintendent.
Dr. Barry especially commends the conduct of the matron, Mrs. Bruister. There were a certain number of very troublesome persons among the young women, but the decision and at the same time the kindness of the matron maintained the most perfect discipline till the young women were landed and sent to the Servants' Home, where, I am informed, some of them have been very troublesome.
Mrs. Bruister has been for some years matron of a lunatic asylum in England, where she was favourably known to Dr. Harrison. From the statements of Dr. Barry, and from my own personal observation of the state of the ship on its arrival, I am convinced that a more efficient matron never came in any emigrant ship to South Australia.
A great many of the married and single men by this ship were forwarded to Port MacDonnell, where I understand they were immediately employed at good wages.

In conclusion, at the end of another year it is most satisfactory to know that the gentlemen who are employed as Surgeons-Superintendent of emigrants ship by Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners are a most efficient body of men, and that they would bear a favourable comparison with a selected class of men from any profession. High principle, purity of manners, self denial, constant command of temper, and sound judgement, independent of professional ability, are imperatively required in those to whom such a trust is confided, and from an experience of many years I can state that as a body they fully vindicate the confidence reposed in them. The usual statistical returns are annexed.

I have, &c., H. Duncan, M.D. Immigration Agent To the Hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration.

Sir.— I have the honor to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the report of this Department for the quarter which ended on the September 30th, 1867.
The Berar, 902 tons, sailed from Plymouth on June 22nd, and arrived at Port Adelaide on the 17th day of September, having been eighty-eight days at sea.
The Berar was commanded by Mr. William Hall, and Charles H. Graham, M.D., was the Surgeon Superintendent. This is the 12th voyage in which Dr. Graham has had the charge of Government immigrants, and on this as on every other occasion in which he has brought emigrants from Great Britain to this colony he has performed his responsible duties most efficiently.
Three hundred and forty-nine souls were landed in this Colony ; of these 230 were from England, 23 from Ireland, and 96 from Scotland.
The remittance emigrants were 134, and the general emigrants 215 in number. Of the remittance emigrants 107 were from England, 20 from Ireland, and 7 from Scotland ; of the general emigrants 123 were from England, 3 from Ireland, and 89 from Scotland.
The married couples were 38 in number, of which 18 were remittance and 20 couples general emigrants.
There were 138 single men, of whom 31 were remittance and 107 general emigrants.
The single women numbered 97, of whom 38 were remittance and 59 general emigrants.
There were 38 children, of whom 29 were remittance and 9 general emigrants. The health of the people during the voyage was excellent.
Two births and two deaths occurred at sea ; of the latter, one was that of a prematurely-born infant, who survived only a few hours. The other was that of a child two years old.

The Berar is admirably adapted for emigrants, being lofty, well lighted, and ventilated.
A trellised barricade was constructed some distance from the front of the poop. which efficiently prevented any communication between the single women and the crew or male passengers. This arrangement is highly commended by the Surgeon-Superintendent, who is of the opinion that it ought to form part of the arrangements on board of every emigrant ship.
The provisions, medical comforts, water, and medicines were good and abundant.
The conduct of the master and officers of the ship was in every respect praiseworthy — they were kind, civil, and obliging to the people.
The Surgeon-Superintendent reports that Mrs. C. Stapley, who had charge of the single women on board, performed her duties in the most efficient manner. She returned in this vessel from England to resume her duties as Matron of the Servants' Home.
The behaviour of the emigrants generally was excellent
The school was well attended, and marked progress was made in writing and arithmetic, the general attendance being between 30 and 40 daily.
The distilling apparatus on board had a cooking apparatus attached to it. The food was always well prepared and ready at the fixed hours for distribution.
The Surgeon-Superintendent speaks highly of the beneficial effects resulting from Dr. Edmond's patent ventilating apparatus, which is undoubtedly a very great improvement on all previous systems of ventilation used in emigrant ships, producing a constant updraught of the air in the 'tween decks, going on, though imperceptibly, at all times both by night and day. This system has been fully explained in previous reports.

At the muster there was no complaint, but the great majority of the people acknowledged with gratitude the kindness they had experienced during the voyage.
It gives great pleasure to state that notwithstanding the late position of the labour market the people got employment with out much difficulty, and continued to decrease in numbers steadily ; on the expiration of the lay-days only seven married and eleven single men remained on board, but of these the greater part were engaged but could not proceed to their destination for few days.
The plentiful rains which have fallen give the promise of an abundant harvest and improved pasturage for flocks and cattle. Mercantile men assure me that the financial position of this colony is in a sound state ; we may therefore confidently hope that the derangement in the labour market, which resulted from drought in this colony and financial panic in Europe, will be rectified.

I have been requested by Dr. Graham to examine two kinds of preserved milk, samples of which were put under his charge.
One kind called "Amey's concentrated milk, prepared at the Rushes and Marsh Farm, Petersfield, Hants." The other is from "The Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, Zurich, Switzerland," of which company Mr. George H. Page is superintendent, and T. S. Merriam, 95, Leadenhall-street, London, is general agent.
Amey's preserved milk exhibits under the microscope the characteristics of healthy milk. The oil globules floating in serum are quite distinct ; but the sample submitted to me was not so rich in oil globules as Grimwade's dedicated milk, which has been for many years in use on board of emigrant ships. I formerly reported that Grimwade's milk, on being treated with rennet, gave a firm curd. Amey's milk gave the same result.
The Anglo-Swiss milk, at least the sample submitted to me, showed no signs of oil globules under the microscope. This was tried on various occasions and compared at the same time with both Amey's and Grimwade's milk, and every time with the same result — no appearance of oil globules could be detected in any part of the fluid. The Anglo-Swiss milk being treated with rennet did not thicken. It may be that the sample submitted to me is exceptional, or the mode of preparation may in some way interfere with the tests I have mentioned.
I have not had an opportunity of submitting to chemical analysis the ashes of the different kinds of milk left after incineration.
The usual statistical returns are annexed.

I have, &c., H. Duncan, M.D. Immigration Agent To the Hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration.