The Emigration Depot at Plymouth

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 695, 2 July 1870, Page 1

Courtesy - The National Library of New Zealand

The very extensive buildings at Lambhay Point, under Plymouth Citadel, known as " Baltic Wharf," have just been prepared by Messrs Hilson and Co., builders, for the reception of such emigrants as may be despatched from Plymouth under the auspices of Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners, or of the Hon. G-. F. Verdon, the agent-general for Victoria. The arrangements made for emigrants before emkarkation are very complete. The people are met on the arrival of the trains and steamers, and their luggage taken free of cost to the depot, where the emigrants are well received and provided for during their three or four days stay, before being embarked in a body ..by a steamer which comes alongside to convey them to their vessel in the Sound or Catwater. While in the depot their clothing is inspected as to sufficiency and cleanliness, they pass the ship's surgeon to guard against contagious disease- being carried out on board, and the system of messing and berthing admirably prepares them to fall into order without difficulty or confusion whem embarked. The single women have a block of buildings fitted for their separate use, with mess-rooms and dormitories under charge of the matroin. The single-men's berths, in two large rooms, are arranged on a novel principle introduced by Mr Chant, despatchingofficer; and the married people have their own rooms, with berths enclosed, and so arranged as to insure the maximum of privacy consistent with the comparatively small space necessarily available. Ventilation and warming are well provided for. Gas is laid on throughout, and a plentiful snpply of water, with fire cocks on every landing. those concerned in the despatch of emigrants in large numbers, the depot, which is the property of Mr Newton, cannot fail to be an object of interest, all the arrangements being the result of many years'practical experience, and the advantages to emigrants are great; for it is no small boon to an agricultural labourer, on arrival at a strange seaport, to be well cared for and preserved from the plundering of crimps in low neighbourhood till he is safely embarked. About 1,000 people can be provided for in these buildings, which are divided into mess-rooms, dormitories, bath-rooms, and lavatories, hot-air-room, kitchens, offices, depot masters house, luggage stores, &c. ; the rooms being on such a scale, that in one alone, fitted for single women, 248 separate beds are provided, and rooms 40ft square are classed as email. The ship Corona, due at Plymouth on the 18th April, chartered by the Hon. G. F. Verdon for the conveyance of emigrants to Melbourne, will be the first vessel embarking her passengers from the new depot.