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I endorse, and although the Branding Officer did not attend every day, yet he frequently inspected the Vessel in the course of his duties in order to ensure that the requirements of the law were being observed.
8
There is little advantage to be obtained from concealing the fact that the law, as it stood when the "Fat they lay in this Harbour was to all practical intents and purposes a dead letter. It was not within anybody's province to stop the gratings and barricades from being made. Chinese blacksmiths and Carpenters took measurements and executed their work without infringing the law of the Colony.
The Harbor Master, without adequate means to prevent barricades from being left, was in a difficult position. A matter easy of execution, and which could be done, was leaving the barricades frequently at Macao, whither the articles were shipped, concealed in the hold of the Coolie Ship, when clearing for that Port.
Fortunately, all this is now at an end owing to the passing...
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