these circumstance I would submit
that the course adopted by Sir
R. MacDonnell should be approved -
It would however be desirable,
as he suggests,
that the Foreign Office should be requested to
obtain from H.M. Consul at Ewato an explanation of
the grounds on which he sanctioned the despatch of
the "Arracan" with such an excessive number of passengers.
I would also suggest that the Governor of Hongkong should furnish Her Majesty's Consuls at the ports of China with copies of the Ordinance No. 8 of 1871, for their guidance as Emigration Officers within the operation of that Ordinance.
I have the honour to be,
Your Obedient Humble Servant,
A. Kennedy