1841-1886
337
OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
21.
Annam were placed on board these vessels to be conveyed to California for purposes of prostitution.
20. Every measure which suggested itself to the Government with a view to ascertaining the truth of the rumour was adopted: his Excellency the Governor, the Attorney-General, the Registrar-General, the police, and some natives of Annam visited the ships to examine for themselves. The circulators and believers of the report were urged to give up their authority or produce some proof of the truth of their statements. At length the report was stated to have emanated from some Jesuit priests residing at Macao, who were also questioned, but who declared themselves unable to say anything beyond "having heard that such was the case.”
21. A ship was laid on during the year for the conveyance of contract labourers to Peru. Emigration to that country from Macao had attained so unenviable a notoriety, that the captain and owner of a Belgian ship thought to try the experiment of despatching a number of Chinese from Hong Kong in order to ascertain if a system could not be organized here that should be free from censure.
22. A draft contract was submitted to, and after some alteration approved by the Government, which had no legal power at the time to prevent such emigration. The amended contract contained a special stipulation prohibiting the employment of the labourers in the working of guano. Two emigration depôts were opened at West Point, and at first Chinese came in tolerably freely. During the first month 200 had been medically examined and registered in the books of this Department.
23. This apparent success of the scheme did not, however, last long, and coolies presented themselves in many instances only to avail of the good food and lodging which the depôt offered. Many left to seek employment elsewhere, whilst others were induced by small advances and promises of a better contract to find their way to Macao, where they have been finally shipped on terms not nearly so favourable.
24. This scheme cannot be said to have succeeded, as the ship did not get her complement of passengers until the first week in January last; 762 having been registered, whilst 382 only actually left the port, the absentees being at the rate of 50 per cent. It remains to be seen whether on arrival in Peru the terms of the contract will be fulfilled.
25. The Home Government and Chargé d'Affaires at Lima having lists of the persons embarked, as also copies of the contracts entered into, it may be presumed that no evasion of their contents will be attempted.
26. A large demand for labour in the Southern States of America, as also a request for a further supply of Chinese for Dutch Guiana has met with a check so far as the contract system in Hong Kong is concerned, the Home Government having prohibited it, except to British Possessions and in British ships.
27. The American Agents have, however, decided to obtain the labour, leaving the Chinese free on arrival at New Orleans to enter into any agreement they may choose.
28. This is a novel and doubtful experiment, but the demand for labour in these States appears so urgent that it is considered worth the cost of a trial. It is thought success may attend it on the assumption that the Chinese, although now only verbally promising to serve a term of years (varying from three to five) will consider themselves morally bound to complete a contract on arrival at their destination if it is in keeping with the promises held out to them here. It has, however, been fully explained to those that have passed through this office that their freedom of action is undoubted, and they have been assured, in the presence of the United States' Consul, who was good enough to be present on the occasion of 140 being questioned, that they have the same protection in the country to which they are proceeding as they find in Hong Kong.
29. These emigrants are procured without the intervention of Chinese brokers, an extensive circulation of notices in the Colony and neighbouring villages being the only means employed to obtain them. This system will doubtless in the first instance prove a slow process, but the Agents trust, to the favourable reports sent to China by the earlier arrivals to enable them to engage labourers more rapidly during the fall of the present year.
Registry of Shipping.
30. Sixteen vessels have been registered and thirteen have been struck off during the year.
Seamen.
31. Although there has been a larger amount of shipping frequenting the port during the year, there is no great difference in the number of seamen shipped and discharged, the year under review exhibiting 7,113 of the former and 6,713 of the latter.