that the persons, including the Master, Crew and "Cabin passengers. There appears, however, to have been some misunderstanding on the part of the Authorities at Hongkong, for the Harbor Master, who, in matters connected with the Passengers, should not have any voice, certifies that the capacity for 476 Passengers allowing 102 to be carried on the Upper Deck (a mode of berthing the Passengers which is punishable under the 12th clause, as interpreted by the 3rd clause, with a heavy penalty, and should not therefore have been allowed), while the Emigration Officer contents himself with certifying "that the Passenger List contains the names of 455 Adults, & much a greater number than the Act permits".
On mustering the Crew however, in Hong Kong's Bay, it was found that there were 520 on board, 54 of whom were upon the ship's articles in addition to the Lascars Crew of the vessel, who with the Officers and Master numbered 49: so that altogether there were 103 persons upon the Ship's Articles, and as there was also an European Cabin Passenger, there were 570 souls on board, 192 more than the permitted number.
The large numbers placed in the Ship's Articles were evidently intended with a view to the evasion of the Passenger Rate in this Colony.
The 19th Section of the Passengers Act states so distinctly where the Passengers are to be berthed, and also the number of persons allowed to be carried, that I am at a loss to understand what grounds the Officers at Hongkong can have given the certificates in question,