6
which you are good alongs
66 say
enough
will be transmitted by his Excellency
the Governor for the consideration of The Secretary of State.
Referring to previous Correspondence
on this subject, I have
have punctually
to point out that the number of
Chinese Passengers to places beyond Singapore never exceeds twenty, and although the Straits Settlements are specified in the Ordinance as a voyage of seven days' duration, it cannot reasonably be applied to the Steamers of this Company. According to the Company's Contract with Her Majesty's Government the Mail Steamers are bound in heavy penalties
3.
to complete the voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore in an average time of
six days fifteen hours throughout
the
year, and should it not be considered expedient to exempt the Mail Steamers from the operation of
This Ordinance
on other grounds, they
have just right to claim that Singapore may
be
excluded in
their favor from a voyage exceeding
seven days' duration.
In conclusion I
can only say that should it be decided to put
the Mail Steamers under the Chinese Passengers Ordinance, the Company must submit to the limit named
however considerably the Immigration