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merchants. 18 wives of these. 50 shopkeepers, missionaries,
ships' officers, doctors, etc. 6 wives of missionaries. 13 wives
of others. 23 spinsters including 13 missionary sisters employed
in the charge of Charitable Institutions.
Deportation or internment, therefore, presents no
little difficulty. Either would entail a good deal of hardship on
Chinese and Portuguese employees of this Community and the
Charitable Institutions, including two Asylums for blind children,
would be an embarrassment to the Government.
3.
I consulted the Managers of the three local British
Banks confidentially in this matter and they in their turn, at my request, took the views of four representative British merchants as to the effect of the total suppression of German trading in the Colony, involving the interment or deportation of the Germans not engaged in the winding up of transactions entered into before the war, which all were agreed should be permitted. I attach copies of the replies I received.
The majority were of opinion that no permanent injury would result. Owing to the exceptional position of this deep sea port this opinion is probably sound. But there is still the risk that it might in a measure be falsified.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
Ama
2-
Governor,&c.
nclosure d
TO/S
4/5
Since writing as above I received your telegram of the
21st instant which I will make the subject of a future despatch.
I desire to add that by "serious leakage of news" in my
telegram of the 21st instant I meant "news of importance reaching
the enemy"
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