chap, mj EMIGEATION. 55 



hundreds. Of the survivors, some went to America, some 

 returned to their own country, and some, withdrawing 

 themselves from the fields, proved very serviceable in other 

 works about the town arid wharfs. The first emigration, 

 as has been before observed, took place in the year 1835, dur- 

 ing which year about 1200 persons left Madeira. Emigration 

 then ceased for a time, till the year 1840, when it was 

 vigorously resumed. At the end of the year 1847 it again 

 ceased. Government returns state that up to this time 

 5435 persons had emigrated, that is to say, that 5435 persons 

 had paid the heavy emigration fees ; perhaps three or four 

 times that number actually left the country. During the years 

 1848 and 1849 there was scarcely any emigration; but in 

 June, 1850, a premium, though a lower one, was again 

 offered, and emigration recommenced actively. The Madeira 

 Government, finding it could not stop the evil, as they 

 supposed it to be, made a remission, though to a trifling 

 extent, of the fees on emigration. It is estimated that, from 

 1835 to the present time, nearly 35,000 persons have gone 

 from Madeira to Demerara, St. Vincent, Antigua, Trinidad, 

 Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Kitt's. 



