South Australian Register Thursday 8th March 1855
Wednesday March 7th, 1855:- the ship Norman, 582 tons, J. Adams, Master,
from Southampton November 8th [sic] [1854], Elders and Co., Agents.
Passengers: Mr.& Mrs. Fastlen ; Miss Chadwick ; Mr. Thomas Alexander,
surgeon-superintendent in the cabin and the following emigrants in the
steerage. . . .
- 7th ship from England to S.A. with government passengers for 1855 ; 0
births and 0 deaths on the passage ; Mr. Thomas Alexander,
surgeon-superintendent.
ship Norman
Left Southampton on the 2nd December, 1854 and arrived in Port Adelaide
on the 7th March, 1855. No deaths nor births took place on the voyage.
This has not occurred in a Government emigrant ship since the year 1850,
when the barque British Empire arrived under the same circumstances.
The Norman arrived in apparently very excellent order, the passage decks
were clean and the people seemed a respectable and well selected class
of persons. Unfortunately, however, there was a want of good feeling and
mutual co-operation between the master and the surgeon-superintendent of
the ship. The surgeon-superintendent refused to sign the certificate
that the charter party had been fulfilled ; and many complaints, and
some of serious character, were made by the emigrants. In consequence of
this, the Immigration Board assembled, and sat several days
investigating the nature of the complaints ; and on the 23rd of March,
presented to His Excellency their report. They found that two charges
were clearly proved against the master of the ship.
1st:- That there had been indecent familiarities with one or more of the
single women ; and
2nd:- That the emigrants had been annoyed on crossing the line.
The twenty-third clause of the charter party expressly stipulates that
the emigrants shall not be molested on crossing the line; and that the
master of the ship shall strictly prohibit and prevent, on the part of
the crew or officers of the ship, any intercourse whatever with the
female passengers on board. That any breach of either of those
regulations will entail forfeiture of the passage money, and of any
gratuities which might otherwise have been payable to the offenders.
The Board stated that the familiarities of which the master in their
opinion was guilty, though no attempt was made by his accusers to infer
any criminal intention on his part, were yet of a nature, which if
permitted in an emigrant ship, were calculated to lead to serious evil.
The Board had also full proof given them that many of the emigrants had
water pumped upon them by the fire engine on crossing the line ; in
consequence of which, many of them were thoroughly drenched, and some of
the young women attributed a long continued illness to that cause. It
was clearly proved that all this was done with the consent of the
master. The Immigration Board gave it as their opinion, that, in the two
respects above mentioned, the twenty third clause of the charter party
had been vitiated ; and that according to the stipulations therein
contained, the passage money was forfeited, as well as the gratuity
otherwise payable to the master of the ship. But, during the
investigation, it appeared to the Board that there was a most
unfortunate want of good feeling and cordial co-operation between the
master and the surgeon of the ship.
The Board could not discover that the surgeon gave warning to the master
of the consequences which would follow ; and though the master of the
ship ought not to have required warning to avoid the two errors which he
committed, yet the Board felt convinced, had fair warning been given,
that on arrival no such clauses of complaint would have existed. They
state, that it was painfully evident to them during the investigation
that there was a vindictive feeling of the surgeon-superintendent
towards the master of the ship, and that the surgeon had watched in
silence the master compromising himself and the charter party, without
entering a protest, or giving warning of an irregularity, that a
repetition would be followed by a formal complaint to the Colonial
Government.
The Immigration Board recommended that the gratuity of the master of the
ship should be withheld, which they hoped would act as a warning to him
to avoid hereafter the errors which have now taken place ; as in all
other respects it appeared to the Board that he acted with kindness and
consideration to the emigrants; and although, according to the strict
letter of the charter-party, the passage money was forfeited, yet the
board suggested to His Excellency, that the Colonial Land and Emigration
Commissioners should be requested not to arrest the passage money, as
the Board thought that the object sought to be obtained could be
accomplished without such severity. His Excellency the Officer
Administering the Government was pleased to approve of the report and of
the suggestions therein contained and to direct that a copy should be
forwarded to the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners.