Office of the Historian

No. 329.
Mr. Thomas to Mr. Fish.

United States Legation,
Lima, Fern, April 4, 1873. (Received May 5.)
No. 48.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose a statement prepared at my request showing, for the information of your excellency, the number of Chinese imported into Peru between the 1st of March, 1872, and 1st of April, 1873; also the number of deaths on board of ships within the same period engaged in this coolie trade.

Having made careful inquiry on the subject, I am prepared to say that the treatment of these unfortunate Chinese, thus forced violently from their homes by the landholders of Peru, by whom crowds of them are employed, is more harsh than that to which slaves in the United States were formerly subjected.

It will be a source of poignant regret to all who recognize the right of all men to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, if the Peruvian government and other South American governments cannot be induced to abandon this abhorrent traffic.

The abolition of this terrible trade, I have thought, might be one of the beneficial results of a conference of diplomatic representatives of the United States and of the Spanish-American republics.

I am, &c.,

FRANCIS THOMAS.
[Page 762]
[Inclosure 1.]

Table showing importation of coolies and fearful mortality on the voyage to Peru during year ending March 31, 1873.

Months. No. of coolies shipped. No. of coolies arrived. No. of deaths on passage. Flag.
1872.
March 592 588 4 French.
April 1,505 1,492 13 Peruvian.
May 999 794 205 Do.
June 1,909 1,551 358 Holland and French.
July None. None. None.
August 650 593 57 French.
September 4,077 3,849 228 French and Peruvian.
October 1,082 845 237 Portuguese and Peruvian.
November 1,167 1,125 42 Peruvian.
December 1,410 1,327 83 French and Peruvian.
1873.
January None. None. None.
February None. None. None.
March 878 712 166 Portuguese and Austrian.
14,269 12,876 1,393