Punch (58.1870)

February 19, 1870.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

65

DEPRESSION.

Sr.ene—The Exchange. Industrial Centre.

First Commercial Man {dryly). " Mornin' ! "
Second ditto {coldly). " Mornin' ! "
First 0. M. (hopelessly). " Owt ?"
Second ditto (mournfully). " Howt !"
First C. M. (gloomily). " Mornin' ! "

Second ditto [despairingly). " Mornin' ! " {They part.

A DEATH-SHIP.

On board the Shand, coolie immigrant ship, from Calcutta to Demerara,
died in a passage of 123 days, ninety-eight out of 458 coolies, while thirty-six
were landed more dead than alive. Some fifty of these, the surgeon reports, were
in a low state of health when shipped, and would never have been embarked if
he had joined the ship when they came on board. Of these a large proportion
would probably have died under any circumstances. But the rest of the sufferers
died of scurvy, a disease that is impossible, if the Government regulations as to
provisions are observed. Ho w comes this ? Marry, easily, thus :—

" When lime-juice and fresh vegetables were required, the lime-juice was found to be
bad, and the whole of the onions and potatoes taken on board at Calcutta were rotten."

Now, onions and potatoes, good when shipped, may rot from heat and bad
stowage : not so lime-juice. We have immigration agents, inspectors, and pro-
tectors of emigrants at Calcutta. What have they to say to this ? And what, have
the owners who bought the bad lime-juice, or the cheaters who sold it, to answer to
this wholesale murder P Punch begs to echo, as loudly and emphatically as he
can, the words of the Demerara Colonist of January 7 :—

" What facts it is possible to ascertain here will no doubt be disclosed before the
Commission of Inquiry to be appointed; and we hope that the result of that inquiry will
form a ground-work for vigorous action on the part of the Indian Government. Apart from
the direct loss to the planters, and the great commercial importance to this colony of having
immigration conducted on the most humane principles and in the most perfect manner pos-
sible ; it is not to be tolerated that the lives of our fellow-creatures shall be ruthlessly
sacrificed, in order that dishonest contractors for ships' stores may make large profits, and,
possibly, out of their unjust gains, pay handsome douceurs to inspectors, in consideration
of the official exan.ination not being inconveniently minute."

One thing only can not be tolerated. That those whose business it is .to inquire
into the crime of killing coolies, and to enforce responsibility for it, should be
allowed to take it coolly in a case like this.

A CHANT TO THE COUNCIL.

Air—" Sam Hall," with a needful variation.

Ninth Pius is my name,
Is my name, is my name.

Ninth Pius is my name;
Is my name;

Ninth Pius is my name,

Supremacy I claim;

On all who doubt the same
Anathema!

I own St. Peter's Chair,

Peter's Chair, Peter's Chair,

I own St. Peter's Chair,
Peter's Chair;

I own St. Peter's Chair,

Whate'er I thence declare,

Be they, deny who dare,
Anathema!

If any man shall say,

Man shall say, man shall say,
If any man shall say,

Man shall say;
If any man shall say
That Church should State obey,
Let him be put away :

Anathema!

Be all who say that we,

Say that we, say that we,

Be all who say that we,
Say that we;

Be all who say that we,

Can have no certainty;

Opinions should be free :
Anathema!

Be they who falsely teach,

Falsely teach, falsely teach,
Be they who falsely teach,

Falsely teach ;
Be they who falsely teach
The Church should only preach,
And not by force back speech,
Anathema!

On him who shall make bold,

Shall make bold, shall make bold.

On him who shall make bold,
Shall make bold ;

On him who shall make bold,

There's mercy's chance, to hold,

Outside the Roman fold,
Anathema!

On Pagan, Turk, and Jew,

Turk and Jew, Turk and Jew,

On Pagan, Turk, and Jew,
Tu;k and Jew;

On Pagan, Turk, and Jew,

And every Christian too,

Not counted in Our crew,
Anathema!

And yet so mild am I,

Mild am I, mild am I,
And yet so mild am I,

Mild am I;
And yet so mild am I,
I would not harm a fly,
For all on Man I cry

Anathema!

Funeral Honours.

The Tories have always claimed to be Britons, par excel-
lence. What wonder they should imitate the funeral prac-
tices of the race, and raise up Cairns over the grave of a
lost leader ?___

New Book.—As Grave as a Judge is He. By the
Author of As Red as a Rose is She.