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# Officials. The master of the ship then came to me and asked me to
"go into the room in which the Doctor was, stating as a reason
"that if the Doctor did not see every one on board, the ship
"would be quarantined and fined on arrival at Manila. I then
"complied, and the Doctor, without addressing me, ticked my name
"off the list of passengers".
These circumstances were referred to the
Attorney-General for his advice, and on the 24th December, 1902,
Sir Henry Berkeley gave it as his opinion that as upon the facts
stated the Agents and Masters of the ships concerned were consent-
ing, though possibly unwilling, parties to the inspection and
other requirements of the Medical Officials attached to the
United States Consulate, it was not possible for this Government
to take any action beyond bring the matter under the further
consideration of the Secretary of State. Sir Henry Berkeley's
minute continues:- "If the Agents of Ships carrying passengers
"and cargo between Hongkong and American ports require intending
"passengers and shippers to submit to certain conditions and
"requirements such as Medical inspection and disinfection by
"officials of the United States Consulate, and, as far as relates to the passengers to submit to the payment of a sum, in addition
"to passage money, sufficient to recoup the ship for the tax pay-
"able at the American Port on each passenger landed, such
"passengers or shippers may at their option refuse, or agree, to
"submit thereto.
"If in either case it is made a subject of
"complaint to the Colonial Government that the conditions and
"requirements have been imposed by the Agents at the instigation
"of and under pressure from the United States Consul the Colonial
"Government cannot without instructions take action. In such case
"the parties alleging themselves to be aggrieved must be left to
"their remedy in the Court of Law, if the Agents have in imposing
"such conditions as referred to above been guilty of a breach of
"contract or a breach of the statute law. On the other hand,
"if...