CHINESE AND NEGRO NAVVIES IN AMERICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1024, 15 July 1871, Page 2

CHINESE AND NEGRO NAVVIES IN AMERICA.

The correspondent of the Glasgow Herald, writing from Alabama says :—: — "A. band of Chinese labourers, from 600 to 700 strong, drafted from California and the Pacific railway, have been employed on this Alabama and Chattanooga road from an early period of its construction. They are pitched in tents at present over on the Elyton side, and are doing the earthwork pari pnssii with the negro, who is not so particular in he matter of tents, .and ia much more easily moved from one side to another. Anything in the shape of a sleeping place satisfies the negro, and, if put to it, he will take the shadow of a bush or tree for a few nights, and ouild up his square box of frames without windows hinmelf by degrees. The Chinee, who struts even here with a celestail sort of air, muat have his tent all nicely fixed up and provided for him. The Chinese navvies are paid 15 dollars gold per month with rations, and the negro 1.75 dollars a day without rations. The term*, as thus arranged, are considered pretty equal ; but as the rations of the Chinaman are not extremely expensive, save in the article of tea, burdened with duty, and whi^h he not only consumes as a repast, but drinVs in large quantity cold at his work, the equality of Chinese and negro wages can only be accounted for by the practical superiority of negro to Chinese labour. The Chinese came in on this line of railway at Meridian, the southern end, and did not commend themselves to the approval of the superintendent. Their rations here in money coat 75 cents a day. The*r work done in " grading" earthwork, cost the company 95 cents per yard, when the same labour could have been contracted for at 35 cents per yard. The superintendent at Meridian would not bear it, and the whole band of Chineße were transferred to the Chattanooga end of the work*. The testimony borne there by the

chief authorities was that the Chineße had not done bo well a3 was expected, that they were not so capable of labour as the" negro, but that their handß were hardening, and they were now on the whole giving satisfaction. As regards the alleged saving and economical habits of the Chinese, it seems quite certain that on monthly pay- days at Meridian they spent their fifteen dollars in whisky, chickens, and whatever they could buy in the stores, as freely as any other spendthrift. It ia admitted on all hands that the Chinese are inveterate qamblei's, and Sundays are spent about the railway cuttings here in elaborate efforts of the Celestials to overreach the Infernals at cardß or dominoes ; but the negro, who is said to have not only a love of, but a really great insight into the black art, is not supposed to lose much by these encounters.