"Emigrant vessel between the Decks" Illustrated London News.
Here was the emigrant's home for the duration of his passage. An average crossing was six weeks; perfect conditions might bring him from Liverpool to Quebec in four; with bad weather it could take three months. Under the British Passenger Acts in force in the early 1850's, ships sailing to Quebec were allowed one adult or two children under fourteen for every twelve square feet of steerage space. Each adult had a sleeping space measuring one foot six by six feet. Until 1852, berths were built to sleep four. In that year ship owners were required to divide the berths to sleep only two. A ship of 500 tons was permitted to carry the equivalent of 300 adults and 200 children with infants not counted. Many captains carried far more than the limit.
