1879 Cuban Plantation Owner Plea for Government Support in Capturing an Escaped Chinese Labourer

On offer is a fascinating document connected to the Cuban Chinese coolie trade, being a manuscript document by the owner of a Matanzas plantation informing the government that a Chinese labourer has fled and must be captured. 

In this document, the plantation owner of Inguaro plantation writes to the Civil Governor of Matanzas, informing him that a fugitive “asiatico” (Chinese) worker has fled the plantation. The plantation owner is requesting that he be captured. 

While the Chinese coolie trade officially ended in 1874, coolies who were on an existing eight year contract were required to complete them, so there were still coolies working at the time of this document’s creation. This document provides insight into the government channels available to plantation owners who had both African slaves and Chinese coolies working in their fields. 

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 document measures approximately 8.5x6 inches. It exhibits signs of age toning, some folds and very minor tears at the creases that do not interfere with readability. Overall G+. Spanish language.