Printed for the use of the Cabinet.
Eastern No. 106. Confidential.
Coolie Emigration from Hong Kong and China Ports.
50 GT WI 28079 2/07 Das & 97810
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Under the provisions of an Ordinance (No. 1 of 1889) passed by the Hong Kong Legislature, under the powers given by the Imperial [Chinese Passengers] Act of 1855, no vessel carrying more than twenty Asiatic passengers may clear from Hong Kong, and no British vessel in the like case may clear from a port in China or within 100 miles of the Chinese coast, on a voyage of more than seven days' duration, without a licence from the Governor of Hong Kong or from the Emigration Officer (i..., the British Consul) at the port of departure.
The British Consul may not issue a licence to a vessel carrying coolies under contract and the Governor of Hong Kong may not issue ■ licence in such a case unless the contracts are for service in a British possession.
The history of the question goes back to the early days of the Colony of Hong Kong. In the late 'forties and early 'fifties there was a large traffic in contract labourers from Chinese porte to California, Australia, Cuba, various South American States, British Guiana, and the British West Indies.
The traffic, even in British vessels, was wholly unregulated, as the existing Passenger Acts did not cover the case of vessels sailing from ports in China to foreign countries, and it gave rise to great abuses, especially in the case of emigrants to Chili and Peru.
As stated in a letter from the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, dated July 27th, 1858:-
"It is alleged that great malpractices are resorted to in the collection of emigrants on shore, that on ship-board they are ill-fed, ill-treated, and grossly overcrowded, and that they are treated like slaves in some of the countries to which they are taken.”
The records of the time afford ample evidence of the truth of these allegations, instances being known in which nearly fifty per cent. of the
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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