FOR over three quarters of a century East Indian indentured labourers were exported from the Indian sub-continent to the West Indian colonies to fill the void created by the mass exodus of ex-slaves from the plantation following the abolition of enslaved labour and moreso the termination of the system of apprenticeship.
This influx into the Caribbean in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was part of a wider movement of Indian labour to other parts of the world including Mauritius, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Fiji, Natal and other parts of the South African continent.
As far as Guyana, the former British Guiana, is concerned, the ‘Gladstone Experiment’ proved to be the basis of East Indian Immigration. John Gladstone the father of liberal British statesman, William Ewart Gladstone, was the proprietor of estates Vreed-en-Hoop and Vreed-en-Stein on the West Demerara at precisely the time when the British Guianese planters were beginning to experience an acute labour shortage as  a consequence of the withdrawal of ex-slaves from plantation labour.
In this early stage of ‘crisis, change and experimentation’ in the 1830s John Gladstone envisaged social and economic advantages in a scheme of East Indian indentured labourers. On this matter the initiator of East Indian immigration wrote “a moderate number of Bengalese might be very suitable for our purpose.” In this regard, Gladstone sought and received permission from both the Calcutta recruiting firm, Messers Gillanders, Arbutnot and Company and the Colonial Office.
The former body anticipated no recruiting problems as Indian labour was already in usage overseas, as for example, in Mauritius and moreso because “the natives being perfectly ignorant of the place they agree to go, or the length of the voyage they are undertaking.” This reply obviously set the stage for the fraud, deceit and coercion which were to permeate the whole recruiting system in Indians throughout the period of indentureship.
Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Glenelg, acceded to Gladstone’s novel request while reiterating the necessity of providing a free return passage when the contractual period was over. What were sadly lacking in this initial experiment were the necessary safeguards on issues such as overcrowded ships, unwholesome food, rather lengthy voyage, change of climate and other related matters. In the final analysis through the ‘Gladstone Experiment’ two ships the ‘Whitby’ and the ‘Hesperus’ departed Calcutta, India with a total of 414 immigrants. The ‘Whitby’ had on board 249 indentured immigrants while the ‘Hesperus’ took 165. This first batch of labourers were referred to as ‘Hill Coolies’ mainly because of the areas where they were acquired – specifically the Chota Nagpur and Bankura districts of the Bengal Presidency, two to three hundred miles from Calcutta.
All told 369 immigrants survived the long, arduous crossing with 244 arriving on the ‘Whitby’ and 152 on the ‘Hesperus’. The ‘Whitby’ arrived in Guyana on May 5 while the ‘Hesperus’ landed a day later. These first arrivals were distributed not only to Gladstone’s two West Demerara estates but to neighbouring Belle View and to far flung ones at Highbury and Waterloo on the East Bank of Berbice and Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast as well.
This initial batch was described by leading colonial officials as “conservative, docile, simple and able-bodied”. A labour force with such characteristics was quite naturally considered as sine qua non to the survival and prosperity of the sugar industry.
Exposed to the plantations shortly after their arrival in the then British Guiana, these newcomers experienced several problems. There were numerous complaints of intimidation, assault and gross negligence on the part of the planters. Mortality rate was quite alarming and many fell victims to malaria and other tropical diseases. In the first 18 months 67 deaths were recorded. The Governor at the time, Henry Light, even criticised the acute disproportion of the sexes with a paucity of females.
At the end of the five-year stint of those who survived, 236 indentured labourers opted to return to India. The scheme was temporarily suspended largely through the active role of the Anti-Slavery Society and its hard-working Secretary, John Scoble in highlighting the injustices and abuses. This officer even visited the colony and was able to verify instances of ill-treatment and other wrongdoings within the system. He advocated truth, mercy and justice where the operation of the scheme was concerned.
With the implementation of the Government of India Act in 1844, the subsequent approval of £500,000 loan by the British Government for future investment in immigration and a worsening of the labour situation in the colony, East Indian immigration to Guyana resumed in 1845. Large scale immigration commenced around the mid-nineteenth century and was to continue virtually uninterrupted until its eventual termination in 1917.
Despite its numerous setbacks the first batch of arrivals involving the ‘Gladstone Experiment’ had paved the way for over 239,000 East Indian indentured labourers to come to Guyana. Of this amount 75,547 were repatriated to the land of their birth. The others along with their descendants chose to adopt this country as their homeland and to continue to contribute to its development.
Indeed, our first batch of forefathers who came to Guyana through the ‘Gladstone Experiment’ has been inspirational in the furtherance of national development and progress. They toiled unceasingly and against tremendous odds to ensure the survival of the sugar industry. Their successors and their descendants continued in the same vein and have contributed and continue to contribute to almost every sphere of activity including in the economic, social, cultural and political fields.
The first batch of pioneers has certainly earned the respect of many as we march forward into this twenty-first century of ours. Let us show greater appreciation, tolerance and understanding of each other as we strive for national unity. Let us give true meaning to our motto “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. We now commemorate 173rd Anniversary of Indian Arrival. Thanks to those pioneers who were associated with the first batch and the ‘Gladstone Experiment’ of 1838.
A Happy Arrival Day to one and all!