This is primarily the story about the Norwegian ship Constantin which was caught up in an international network of trade with migrant Chinese workers known as coolies. Constantin belonged to a partnership of owners (partsrederi), a kind of ownership that was common in Norwegian shipping as far as sailing vessels were concerned. Part-owners in Constantin were Jens Amundsen (father of the famous polar explorer Roald Amundsen)and two of his brothers who each owned 1/6 of the ship, while P. Anker in Fredrikshald had a smaller part, but he was the managing owner (”korresponderende reder”). There were also other part owners. In 1866 Constantin sailed from Macao to Havana in 103 days with 295 Chinese “coolies”. 16 of them died during the passage which the captain considered fortunate because he thought it was a moderate number. Initially Constantin´s captain referred to them as ”passengers” when he sent a letter informing the managing owner about the matter.
Table of Contents
From Macao to Havana:
1. Introduction
2. The origin and development of labour migration from China to Cuba
3. Norwegian shippers and the “Treaty Ports”?
4. Constantin in far eastern waters prior to the voyage from Macao to Havana
5. The passage to Havana
6. How profitable was the coolie transport to the shippers?
7. Discussion and Conclusion
8. References (printed sources)
9. Primary sources
10. Electronic sources
11. Illustrations
Research Objectives and Themes
This study examines the role of the Norwegian ship Constantin in the international trade of Chinese migrant workers, known as "coolies," during the mid-19th century. The research investigates the economic motivations behind the participation of Norwegian shippers in this trade, the conditions experienced by the workers on board, and the moral dilemmas faced by the ship's crew and owners in a global context of labor exploitation.
- The history and development of Chinese labor migration to Cuba.
- The participation of Norwegian maritime interests in the "coolie trade."
- Primary source analysis of the voyage of the ship Constantin in 1866.
- Economic profitability of human trafficking vs. standard cargo trade.
- The moral and ethical implications of the maritime "new slave trade."
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
This is primarily the story about the Norwegian ship Constantin which was caught up in an international network of trade with migrant Chinese workers known as coolies. Constantin belonged to a partnership of owners (partsrederi), a kind of ownership that was common in Norwegian shipping as far as sailing vessels were concerned. Part-owners in Constantin were Jens Amundsen and two of his brothers who each owned 1/6 of the ship, while P. Anker in Fredrikshald had a smaller part, but he was the managing owner (”korresponderende reder”). There were also other part owners. In 1866 Constantin sailed from Macao to Havana in 103 days with 295 Chinese “coolies”. 16 of them died during the passage which the captain considered fortunate because he thought it was a moderate number. Initially Constantin´s captain referred to them as ”passengers” when he sent a letter informing the managing owner about the matter. In comparison the captain in the short novel Typhon, from which I have quoted, had never heard of “a lot of coolies spoken of as passengers before”. The short novel was conceived some 30-35 years after Constantin made the passage to Cuba. By then the worst abuses of coolie-trade was said to have been alleviated. But it was still not common among sailors to think of coolies as ”passengers”.
Constantin and the mutiny which took place on board the ship in 1866 caught the imagination of those connected to the sea. It gave raise to oral traditions which has found its way into Norwegian maritime literature (See for example J. S. Worm-Müller 1935, Vol. 2:1, 332-338, including notes; O. Ditlev-Simonsen 1945: 57-58; B. Nygård 1958; H. A. Veel 1962: 113-115). The focus of these narratives about Constantin has been on the dramatic and rebellious event which was close to kill the captain and set the ship on fire. It is a question if the story about the mutiny can be verified or if the narrated sequence of dramatic events could be a myth or some sort of itinerant story. This will be discussed further on in due place. However, nothing has been told about the reason why and how Constantin had been chartered for the special trade, nor has there been a serious discussion whether the “Chinamen” were considered to be passengers or people kept in bondage on board the ship. The aim of this study is partly to probe for the motives behind the decision to accept to be involved in coolie trade, partly to see if it is possible to infer from the sources what attitudes the sailors had to the “Chinamen”.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of the ship Constantin and its involvement in the coolie trade, establishing the research questions regarding the mutiny and the morality of the venture.
2. The origin and development of labour migration from China to Cuba: Provides a literature review on the rise of the indentured labor trade as a successor to the African slave trade.
3. Norwegian shippers and the “Treaty Ports”?: Analyzes the extent of Norwegian maritime involvement in the Far East and the dependency on treaty powers.
4. Constantin in far eastern waters prior to the voyage from Macao to Havana: Traces the ship's financial struggles and the chain of events leading to the charter for coolie transport.
5. The passage to Havana: Details the journey, the living conditions of the passengers, and the alleged mutiny that occurred during the voyage.
6. How profitable was the coolie transport to the shippers?: Conducts a financial analysis of the revenue generated by the transport compared to the broader slave trade network.
7. Discussion and Conclusion: Synthesizes findings on the economic motivations and moral considerations surrounding the Constantin's voyage.
Keywords
Coolie trade, Constantin, Norwegian shipping, Chinese migration, Indentured labour, Jens Amundsen, Havana, Macao, Treaty Ports, Slavery, Maritime history, Labor migration, Ship-owners, Mutiny, Colonial trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this book?
The book focuses on the historical voyage of the Norwegian ship Constantin in 1866, which transported Chinese laborers from Macao to Havana, and examines how this fit into the broader context of the international "coolie trade."
What are the central thematic fields of the work?
The study centers on maritime history, the economics of 19th-century labor migration, the role of Norwegian shipping in global trade, and the ethical implications of indentured servitude.
What is the core research objective?
The primary goal is to probe the motives behind the decision of Captain Jens Amundsen to engage the Constantin in the coolie trade and to analyze the attitudes of sailors toward the migrant workers.
Which scientific methods were applied?
The author uses historical analysis, primarily relying on primary source correspondence between the ship's captain and the managing owner, supplemented by a literature review of international and Norwegian maritime history.
What does the main part of the book cover?
The main sections cover the background of the trade, the preparation of the ship for human cargo, the financial calculations of the voyage, and a discussion of the alleged mutiny on board.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include Coolie trade, Constantin, Norwegian shipping, Indentured labour, and maritime history.
Did the mutiny on board the Constantin actually occur?
The author notes that while the mutiny is a significant part of oral tradition and literature, it is difficult to verify through primary sources; he treats it as a potential narrative construct reflecting the fears of the crew.
How did the financial outcome of the voyage affect the captain's views?
Despite the high mortality rate of the laborers, the captain focused on the commercial viability of the "freight" and continued to refer to the victims as "passengers" to maintain a professional, business-oriented distance.
- Quote paper
- Sten F. Vedi (Author), 2014, From Macao to Havana, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/272168
