Arrived on the 25th April with 217 souls. Six deaths and two births were the casualties before final disembarkation.
In consequence of several complaints having been made, the Immigration Board was summoned to investigate the circumstances. It was in their opinion, clearly proved that the surgeon had neglected his duty, both in the proper treatment of the sick, and in not enforcing the proper issue of provisions, especially to young children.

The mortality in emigrant ships takes place chiefly among very young children; and it being supposed that the kind of diet on shipboard had an important effect on their health, the Commissioners took great trouble in procuring the opinion of many eminent physicians on the kind of diet best suited for children between the ages of four months and two years old. In consequence of their advice, the following dietary was ordered and made a stipulation in the charter-party ‘Children between four months and two years old are to be allowed three pints of water and a quarter of a pint of milk daily ; also three ounces of preserved soup and four ounces of oatmeal, eight ounces of flour, four ounces of rice, and ten ounces of sugar weekly.”

It was proved to the satisfaction of the Immigration Board that, for the first three weeks of the voyage, no issue of rations of any kind was made to children ; that, after this, in consequence of complaints having been made, 4ozs. of rice, 6 ozs. of flour, and 8ozs. of sugar, with one gill of milk were issued weekly to each child till within three weeks before arrival, when the proper quantities were given.

When there is neglect in the issue of food to adults, loud complaints soon attract attention to the grievance ; children suffer and are silent. It may be that the parents are not aware of the provision which is made by the charter-party for the young; and if complaints are not made, it is assumed by those who neglect their duty that there is no grievance. Such is not the view of the Immigration Board is disposed to take of the case. The issue of the proper stipulated provisions to children is regarded by the Board as most important, not only for the proper nourishment, but for the health and life of the children. The Board regard the stipulation of the charter party as so express that they consider that the neglect of the master of the ship to issue these rations regularly, vitiates the charter party and involves the forfeiture of the payment of freight. They consider that it is the duty of the surgeon-superintendent to take care that the stipulations of the charter party are in all respects fulfilled—that the rations are issued regularly and in proper quantity ; and it is the opinion of the Board that where this is not done the surgeon-superintendent has neglected his duty.

Several complaints were made against the surgeon-superintendent for neglect of medical treatment. Such complaints are easily investigated. The printed instructions to surgeons-superintendent direct a distinct medical journal to be kept, in which is to be noted “the day on which each patient is entered for treatment, and on what day discharged-whether cured, transferred to other hands, or dead ; stating also the nature of the disease and the method of treatment.” When a surgeon-superintendent neglects to keep such a journal, he not only sets at naught his instructions, but deprives himself of the only means to disprove a charge of neglect. In this case, the surgeon-superintendent of the Mallard had not kept a medical journal as instructed.
One man complained of personal violence used by the surgeon-superintendent and master of the ship. It appears that this man, being at the time a constable, had got into some personal altercation with the surgeon-superintendent, whom he threatened to report on arrival. The surgeon and master considering it necessary to “enforce discipline” ordered this man to be put in irons. The emigrants who were then at dinner, hearing of this, rose in a body and demanded his instant release, and he was accordingly set at liberty. This occurred about three weeks after sailing.
No man complains of having been put in irons after this, but the “discipline” which it was found impossible to enforce upon the men, was more successfully tried upon the women. One young woman was confined in the bath-room for three hours, in iron handcuffs ; another was confined in this state for thirty-six hours. The Board state that not a shadow of reason existed for this exercise of arbitary power ; that these were cases of gross personal violence to women, and that the master who could order, and the surgeon-superintendent who could sanction such proceedings, were both totally unfitted to be ever again entrusted with the charge of immigrants. The evidence given by the immigrants went to prove that the master of the ship was the active agent in these cases, that the surgeon was passive, but gave his sanction to the proceedings. The surgeon-superintendent takes upon himself the responsibility of having ordered the people to be put in irons.
The Immigration Board recommended that the usual certificate that the immigrants had been well treated and the charter-party fulfilled, should not be signed-that the gratuity of the master, being two shillings on each immigrant landed alive, should be forfeited ; and that one quarter of the gratuity to the surgeon-superintendent, being two shillings and sixpence on each immigrant landed alive, should be withheld. The certificate for return passage money being thus forfeited, a further penalty is inflicted of forty pounds (£40). The Board further recommended that the Commissioners should be requested to make a deduction from the payment of freight. His Excellency the Officer Administrating the Government was pleased to approve of the decision of the Board.

Penne, Harriet
(Pearce)