1866 Cuban Government Document Stating Compliance of a Chinese Coolie Trading Company’s Ship Landing in Havana

On offer is a fascinating government document that demonstrates communication surrounding the Chinese coolie labour ships were discussed in 19th century Havana. 

The document is from the Superior Civil Governor in Havana. It indicates that coolie trading company Caro Hermanos y Watson have shown compliance with the “article of the Colonial Regulation” and that they have chartered the Spanish frigate Burdeos y Habana to bring 240 Asian colonists to Havana. It was signed on June 13, 1866 with the words “Caro huos Watson”. 

Caro Hermano y [and] Watson were merchant coolie importers. They were agents working with the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, which specialized in coolie trading. The Burdeos y Habana left Macao on March 15, 1866 with 231 Chinese men on board. It arrived in Havana one month after this letter was signed, on July 20, 1866. 204 Chinese men arrived alive and were sent to work as coolies on Cuban plantations. 

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 8x12 inches. It exhibits age toning and small tears on the margins. Written in ink, it is very legible with a lovely seal stamped and embossed at the top. Spanish language. Good.