574
1165/73.
should proceed to sea without the Governor's
licence, which was to be given subject to such
conditions as might be prescribed by the
Secretary of State.
The effect of this law, coupled with
the instructions from the Secretary of State
above referred to was to prohibit emigration
to foreign countries.
It was not explicitly stated in the
correspondence that the prohibition applied
only to contract emigration but the instructions were so interpreted in Hong Kong and
when in 1873 this point was referred home
Lord Granville (then at the Foreign Office)
and Lord Kimberley agreed that this interpre-
tation was correct, Lord Kimberley accordingly
while reiterating the prohibition of contract
emigration to foreign countries, informed the
Governor that free emigration might be allowed
though he reserved the right to prohibit
in