1867 Chinese Coolie Arrival Manifest for Passengers of the French Vessel Delangle’s Voyage from Macau to Havana

On offer is a unique arrival manifests recording the names, information and fates of 10 Chinese men who were transported on the January 1867 voyage of the Delangle. from the port of Macau to Havana, Cuba to complete their indentured servitude as “coolies”, working for Cuban sugar plantation owners.

This manifest was created upon the arrival of the French Galley, Delangle, in Havana, Cuba, once the coolies on board had their contracts sold to plantation owners. This sailing of the Delangle departed January 4, 1867 from Macau under the French flag. It arrived in Cuba on May 3, 1867. 275 Chinese men boarded the ship and 270 arrived in Havana. The ultimate fates of 10 of those men can be found on this manifest. On the 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. The 10 men on this manifest would go to work in Havana with contracts beginning on May 21, 1867. The manifest is signed by the Vice Director of Alianza y Cia, Carlos de Zaldo. 

The Delangle 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 Delangle resulted in a mortality rate of under 2%, with five 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. 

This manifest measure 9.5x13 inches. It exhibits significant signs of aging including age toning, small rips and tears, especially at the centre crease. The manifest is one page. Spanish language. Overall Fair.