*
L
ng af A
i
uced.
pa totát súrod
juhde -
renatog
*
BA MOTE
VO AY SUSRET
aan teslimon
* BZIE?
3.
DA VAXTI
***
XX
307
coolie steamers, but there is nothing to prevent
ates, e.g. Jerman, Japanese, or Norwegian, from a
own Burveyor, if by so doing they can benefit the
It naturally goes against the grain for a British
have to give his own country's ships a smaller co
their foreign competitors, and he cannot be blamed
best for British vessels, within reasonable bounds.
or at Hongkong has no such difficulty to face, for, ther
ships, without distinction, are measured on an equal footing, un-
der the same rules.
I fail to see any adequate reason for the Hongkong Govern-
ments interpellation in this matter. The argument that the pre-
sent practice places Hongkong at a disadvantage from the emigra-
tion point of view, was shown, in my last despatch on this subject
to be untenable. If it be designed to secure uniformity in
British measurements, it can only apply to the downward route,
as the Singapore Licence invariably differs from the Hongkong
one, though (presumably) governed by the same rules of measure-
ment. In further support of the contention that the Hongkong
measurements are unreasonably stringent, I may mention that,
some of the regular coolie steamers were loaded, by the Singapore
Government, with ooolies to be repatriated, shortly after the
outbreak of the war, THEY WERE ALL GIVEN COMPLEMENTS AREATLY IN
EXCESS OF THEIR SVATOV CERTIFICATES, these being disregarded by
the authorities, who, apparently, gave the ships the numbers
which they considered could be safely carried.
I have the honour to be,
sir,
your most obedient,
humble servant,
CHS Pinipios
Consul.
wher
: