1867 Archive of Three Chinese Coolie Trade Ship Arrival Manifests for Passengers of the Spanish Vessel J.A.U. Voyage from Macau to Havana

On offer is an archive three incredible arrival manifests, recording the names, information and fates of 68 Chinese men who were transported on the April 1867 voyage of the J.A.U. from the port of Macau to Havana, Cuba to complete their indentured servitude as “coolies”, working for Cuban sugar plantation owners.

These manifests were created upon the arrival of the Spanish Galley, J.A.U. in Havana, Cuba, once the coolies on board had their contracts sold to plantation owners. This sailing of the J.A.U. departed April 3, 1867 from Macau under the Spanish flag. It arrived in Cuba on July 19, 1867. 319 Chinese men boarded the ship and 312 arrived in Havana. The ultimate fates of 68 of those men can be found on these manifests. On each manifest, the coolie’s number (assigned at departure), Chinese name, given Christian name, age, sex, work he is destined to do, length of contract, start date of contract, Cuban patron (plantation owner) and location they will be living are indicated. All the manifests are signed by the Vice Director of Alianza y Cia, Carlos de Zaldo. 

The first manifest identifies 21 coolies whose contract will begin on July 31, 1867. They will work under their patron, Quintero y Coloma in Cienfuegos. The second manifests lists 18 coolies whose contracts will begin August 1, 1867 under patrons Julio de Ibana, Manuel Aturia in Havana. The final manifest describes 29 coolies whose contracts will begin September 1, 1867 under patron Solosabal Campos & C. [?] in Havana.

The J.A.U. was a ship of the Alianza y Cia, a coolie importing business that was born through the merger of the Empresa and La Compania de Seguros y Creditos. The Alianza was the major importer of Chinese labourers, making 55 shipments of men between 1865 and 1873. This particular 1867 sailing of the J.A.U. resulted in a mortality rate of only 2.2%, with seven men dying on the voyage. 

The Chinese coolie trade, a system of indentured labor that targeted young, poor Chinese men, operated from 1847-1874. Throughout this period, African slavery was slowly being abolished around the world. The coolie trade was initiated by Britain and was eventually dominated by both Britain and the United States of America. Chinese coolie laborers were sent to work in British, American and Spanish colonies, and the nature of the trade changed throughout its 27-year operation, due to social and political pressures. The coolie trade took place, in large part, between the shipping port in Macao (now a part of China, then under Portuguese rule) and Havana, Cuba (then under Spanish control). As Macau was under Portugese rule at the time of the coolie trade, they transported coolies on their vessels frequently and many of the manifests were written in Portuguese and/or Spanish. To learn more about the Chinese coolie trade and its importance in world history, click here to read our in-depth research blog on the topic. 

All three manifests measure 9.5x13 inches. They display significant signs of aging including age toning, small rips and tears, especially at the centre creases. Each manifest is one single page, one of which has writing on the front and back of the pages. Spanish language. Overall Fair. 

Citations: 

Asome, J. (2020). Coolie ships of the Chinese diaspora (1846-1874). Proverse Hong Kong. 

Guia de forasteros de la siempre fiel isla de Cuba. (1861). https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=j9mnIQeureYC&pg=GBS.PA2&hl=en