Telegram.
The Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong to Mr Lyttelton.
Received. Conta Office 12.23 p.m. 14th July, 1904.
25002 Tural 226 Ge:
Your telegram of 5th instant. The Consul interviewed the Viceroy on the 11th of July and proposed that if Hong Kong were recognised as part of embarkation for Canton and the neighbourhood, the $3 fee should be paid on foreign emigrants and Chinese Inspectors would be allowed to inspect emigration camp and emigrant ships periodically, though they would not be allowed to reside on duty within the Colony.
The Viceroy replied that he had instructions from London not to permit emigration to South Africa except from Treaty ports, and complained also that Peking had not supplied him with the regulations under Article five of the Convention.
He declined to entertain any proposal that was at variance with the strict letter of the Convention.
I have advised the South African agents at Tientsin to send their ships North until a settlement is arrived at. I propose that steps should be taken to recognise the position of Hong Kong as port of embarkation for South China and that it should be agreed that a European member of the staff of the Imperial Chinese Maritime Customs should be appointed by the Viceroy as Inspector of Emigrants at Hong Kong for South Africa.
If it is considered to be indispensable, there is no objection to occasional visit of inspection from a Chinese official at Canton.