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145
S
excess of over 5,000. A portion of this tide may be a reflux of the Chinese New Year exodus and yet another portion may be ascribed to overseas emigration. But I believe the Colony is filling up, as it has so often before, be- cause conditions in China are becoming intolerable.
Another sign of the times is a complaint addressed by the Commissioner of Chinese Maritime
Customs to the Harbour Master to the effect that
5.
the crew of the s.s. "On Lee" (British flag, Chinese owned) refused with menaces of violence to allow the Customs officers at Kong Mun (Kongmoon) to
search their quarters for contraband.
The owners,
on being called upon for an explanation, pointed, out that the crew had been forced upon them by
the Canton Seamen's Union and that the ship's
officers while in Chinese waters, have no means of compelling the crew to do anything they do
not wish. Chinese sailors are the most inveterate
smugglers in the world and it is interesting to compare this incident with the recent attack on the Customs House at Wuhu,which is stated to have been due to interference with opium smuggling.
6.
2
In conclusion I have the honour to transmit
the following documents bearing on the general
situation:-
Enclo No. 3a) Copy of a memorandum by a Church of England
missionary in Kwang-tung furnished to me by the
Bishop of Victoria.
Enclo No. 4(b) An extract from a report,dated the 10th
March, by the local representative of the
Federation of British Industries.
동
enjor
NAT
(c)