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gate at Wuchow, You will doubtless make enquiries from the latter on
the matter.
4. The Governor of Hongkong is further of opinion that unless you see good reason to doubt the general correctness of the statements made to Mr. Cowan, a strong protest should be made to his Excellency the Viceroy with regard to the action of the Magistrates who sent unreleased criminals to the Wuchow Emigration Depot. The Governor is convinced that this action can have no sanction from the Viceroy as it is entirely against the spirit of the Convention which was intended to ensure that the emigrants should in all cases have the South African contract fully and fairly explained to them and should enter into it of their own free will to secure the considerable advantages it offers.
The action of the Magistrates which, had it not been detected in time, would have sent dangerous criminals to work in company with Chinese of good conduct in the South African mines would undoubtedly be looked upon in a most serious light both by the Transvaal Government and by the Government of His Britannic Majesty.
5.
The detection of these criminals by the Transvaal Emigration Agent and the rejection of certain other persons who, on being questioned by him, were found not to be really desirous of emigrating to South Africa will convince the Viceroy of the special guarantees under which emigration to South Africa is being carried on and this may be of assistance to His Excellency in dealing with the misrepresentations which interested persons have been making with regard to this emigration and in overcoming the opposition which appears to have been hitherto successfully waged against the Wuchow plan, originally suggested by the Viceroy.
6. I am to take this opportunity of recalling your attention to the statement contained in the Viceroy's despatch to you of the 28th September last to the effect that the Chinese migration Deputy Huang Taobai, was then reporting that applications were continually being received from intending emigrants and that a gradual increase in the numbers might be confidently looked for. In these circumstances, it should be possible to make the emigration from Kwangsi a complete success