This document was laid before the House of Lords to record the number of people immigrating to British North America after the passing of an Act in 1828 which sought to regulate passengers travelling to America by ship.

Europeans began settling in the area of North America in the 17th century, and over 1 million British citizens emigrated between 1815 and 1865. The population grew rapidly due to an influx of French and British settlers and a high fertility rate. When the British North America Act was passed in 1867, the population of Canada was over three million, and it continued to grow up until the start of the twentieth century.