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the
ship, should be taken into account in calculating probable length of the voyage. It should in fact place the whole decision on this point in the hands of the Emigration Officer. The consequence of this would be that
the Emigration Officer would be involved in continual controversies with the Ship Owners respecting merits of their ships. He would probably be led into some wrong conclusions from insufficient professional knowledge, and would be subject to frequent changes of sentiment and favoritism. The only and most inadequate advantage would be an increase of profit to the Ship Owner of what were presumed to be the fastest ships.
13. (6) The suggestion that the restrictions imposed by the Passengers Act on Emigration from Hong Kong should be enforced at the port of arrival on ships sailing from thence can of course only apply when the ships proceed to British Colony; and there is some difficulty in giving effect to it even to this limited extent, since a Colonial law cannot be applied directly to offences not committed in the Colony.