:
Кире
CONFIDENTIAL.
¡REC?
23154
Rea2 26 14
260
HONGKONG.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
4th June, 1914.
sir,
kr 18809
In continuation of my despatch No.147 of the 2nd
of May, I have the honour to report that it has been ascertained
that besides the 363 Chinese passengers on board the "Tai On"
there were a crew or 70 Chinese and a large but unknown number
of runners. These latter by custom travel backwards and forwards
free on the steamers trading with the West River districts for
the ostensible purpose of touting for passengers. The total
number of persons on board cannot, therefore, be ascertained,
but it is estimated that it exceeded 500.
The following is the number of survivors as far
2.
as is known:-
Returned to Hongkong in steamers which rescued them: -
Crew
40
Passengers
123
Landed in Chinese territory
Arrested in Macao
16
1
Landed wounded in Chinese terri-
tory and sent to Hongkong
1
181
Total dead and missing (not counting
runners).
241
Dead bodies recovered from the sea
53
•
do. -
on "Tal On* ....
9
A large quantity of bones and bone ashes was removed
from the "Tai On".
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,
&C. >
&c