conducted Emigration is a benefit to China, and I used not say how I rejoice to find from such a quarter an acknowledgment of abuses which have long been patent to all disinterested persons, & systematically denied by those in authority & those commercially concerned in the traffic at Macao.
Paragraphs 11 & 21 describe the measures taken by Sr Fernandes to assure himself that the Emigrants understand the nature of the step they are taking, are willing emigrants, and have no complaint to make relative to being sent. These measures it appears by para: 20 have resulted in not a few being returned to their native places.
Paragraphs 22 to 28 treat of the abuse consisting in the fact that the Chinese who present themselves to sign the contract are not always the same as those who have previously been present at the registration. It seems to me difficult to limit this abuse at that point. If one Coolie can personate another I can see why an ally of the Brokers might not do the same - there is nothing that I can see in Sr Fernandes' measures to prevent such fatal consent being changed for a totally different person after, or even before, Embarkation. This abuse Sr Fernandes states was formerly prevalent - and very prevalent - and he cannot flatter himself that he has thoroughly eradicated it. Day after day he says there arises a new obstacle to the repression of this abuse.
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