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barque Jane
Duffus, 382 tons, from Glasgow, 2nd May 1843
to Quebec 16th June 1843
Montreal Gazette, June 19, 1843
Arrived Quebec June 16 Bark Jane Duffie, [captain] M'Donell, 3rd May,
Glasgow, coals, &c., 257 passengers
The barque Jane Duffus (also found recorded
as Jane
Duffie or
Jane Duffies) arrived at Quebec on 16th June 1843,
with emigrants assisted by Glasgow Emigration Societies. The Captain
had
been
required to pay a penalty, for a breach of the British Passengers Act.
The "Passengers
Act" attempted to regulate the conditions for emigrants and there
were fines for those captains who didn't comply. A vessel
was limited to carrying no more than 3 adult persons per 4 tons of
volume
and 5
1/2 feet between decks. It was amended often over the years, but this
is why you often see childrens' ages noted more carefully than the
adults. Since the law allowed more children than adults in proportion
to the ships' tonnage, masters understated the ages of their passengers
and used false decks to accomodate the overflow. (often with the duplicity
of the families, to save some money on fares) In 1843 the method of
deciding how many passengers could be carried, was calculated thus:—
| Adults, anyone 14 years and over |
|
|
| Children 9 - 13 years |
eg. 18 children |
= 9 statute adults |
| Children 1 - 8 years |
eg. 27 children |
= 9 statute adults |
| Infants, less than 1 year |
|
carried free |
Here is Captain McDonell's statement, defending his charge
under the Passengers Act, which also provides us with a partial passenger
list for the Jane Duffus.
| Quebec 20th June 1843 |
| Sir, |
I beg leave to
submit for your consideration, the following statement in extenuation
of any blame that may be charged to me or the Owners of the
Ship "Jane Duffus" for breach of the Passengers act, and to
request that you will be pleased after being satisfied as to the correctness
of the allegations
mentioned in my statement to recommend that the penalty this day paid may be
remitted.
By the passenger list of the
said Ship it will be found that the aggregate number of superficial feet in the
several compartments, set apart for Steerage and intermediate passengers are
1861 feet and that the total number of statute adults the Ship can legally carry
is— 186 — That the number of souls on board of the
said vessel, by the same list is — 251 — twelve of whom children
under twelve
months.
Total
number of adults
— 186 — The difference therefore between the list and the
estimated
number
is
to be attributed to some of the ages of the passengers being stated at a lower
rate, than mentioned by the same passengers on their arrival at Quebec when examined
by the officer of Customs and upon reference to the list you will
find:—
That |
| Ellen Hedden |
was entered as aged 6 months when upon examination she |
appears to be aged 22 months |
| Margaret Lamb |
was entered as 10 months |
appears to be aged 2 years |
| Elizabeth Wright |
was entered as 13 years |
appears to be aged 15 years |
| Elizabeth McKee |
was entered as 10 months |
appears to be aged 17 months |
| Isabella Gillespie |
was entered as 13 years |
appears to be aged 14 years |
| Sarah McConn |
was entered as 13 years |
appears to be aged 14 years |
| Christina |
this name was written between these two names, with
no explanation |
| Peter Wilson |
was entered as 8 months |
appears to be aged 23 months |
| Jane McPherson |
was entered as 8 years |
appears to be aged 9 years |
| John Caldwell |
was entered as 13 years |
appears to be aged 14 years |
| Joseph Caldwell |
was entered as 11 months |
appears to be aged 20 months |
| |
| The foregoing facts are submitted with a view of showing
that the increase on board of the Ship is not in the number of individuals,
but in the age being given by their parents or by others in a manner
to deceive and not by any fault or fraud on the part of the Owners
or the Master of the vessel. |
| |
I am, Sir, |
To Henry Jessopph Esq.
Coll. H.M. Customs
Quebec |
Your Obedient Servant
(sd) Hugh Mc Donell |
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