COPY.
ENCLOSURE NO. 9.
48
Pickets at the Hong Kong, Canton & Macao Steamboat Co., Ltd's., Wharf at Canton.
Honourable Colonial Secretary,
The following may be of interest to His Excellency in connection with the "boycott" of the Hong Kong, Canton & Macao Steamboat Co., Ltd's. steamers.
After leaving the Consulate in Shameen I arrived at the Hong Kong, Canton & Macao Steamboat Co., Ltd's. Wharf at about 7.45 a.m. on the 15th December in company with Capt. Bloxham and the Consul General. A number of men were grouped round the entrance gate. The whole Wharf is enclosed by a high iron railing and access to the Steamers can be obtained only by the one entrance. Most of the men grouped round the entrance (there were 8 or 10 of them in all) were dressed in light grey, ordinary clothing. There were no signs of any pickets in the usual blue uniform with the red tag on their left breast. I at once enquired from some Chinese Custom Officers who the men in light grey were, I said "Are they pickets"? the Custom Officers replied "No". However, as will be shown later, there is no doubt that the men in light grwy were Strike Pickets. I took up my position on the steamer exactly opposite the entrance gate, roughly 15 yards from the gate and watched proceedings. Captain Bloxham was by my side.
During the 10 to 15 minutes before the steamer left I personally counted 6 persons who were turned away from the entrance gate by the men in light grey. The first would-be passenger was
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a man who appeared to be a 2nd class passenger, he had no bag but a coat over his arm, he ad come along the footpath and made as if to go in but was motioned by one of the Strike Pickets to pass on down the road te where the "Tung On" was lying at another harf. A second would-be passenger came along and was similarily turned away. Two more would-be passengers crossed the road, they had coats over their arms and small hand bags, they were turned away and immediately made for the "Tung On". Then a young man dressed
in