Chain; and instructed their Emigration Agent in India to visit China during the close season in India for the purpose of enquiring with the prospect of obtaining a satisfactory class of Emigrants on satisfactory terms. Whether he went to China or not I don't know but I think not.
The despatches from Eur Wade, of which an abstract is enclosed in the 7th letter, were communicated to this office when they were received, and led up to our proposal to the Government, which was the only Colony of British Guiana, at the time requiring Chinese Emigrants, to give up the idea of Chinese contract Emigration altogether. This they have consented to do for the present, asking that the way may be left open for its resumption at a more favourable time.
We have, however, since communicated the applications from the Cape and Mauritius to the Governor of Hongkong, asking him to ascertain whether those Colonies can obtain Emigrants from Canton under the Canton arrangement of 1872-3 or from Hongkong district.
March 3, 1875.
I have laid before Lord Derby your letter of the 18th ultimo, requesting His Lordship's opinion as to a proposal for establishing, by means of a convention with China, a system of Emigration under Contract from Hongkong to British Colonies, and am to state to you, in reply, for the information of Lord Carnarvon, that Lord Derby would be most willing to cooperate in measures for assisting the Colonies in procuring labour from China, but that, having carefully considered...
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Foreign Office
Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office
REC. 2420 219 8
Mr. 10/3 19.
Sir
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