Enclosure 1.
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, NOVEMBER 18, 1884.
It seems that the antagonism of the coolies and boat people towards the French in Hongkong! has not yet subsided, for it will be remembered that the oargo brought on by the Messageries Maritimes steamer Saghalien about a month ago could not be landed when she arrived hore owing to want of cargo boats and coo- lies who were on the strike at that time. Some hundred odd chests of opium con- signed to Messrs. David Sassoon, Sons & Co. were not landed from the Saghalien but were transhipped to the Tanais and notice given to consignees that the cargo was so transhipped and that they could take delivery from the lat ter vessel. It appears that the opium had not been landed up to yesterday, when Messrs. Sas- soon obtained from the P. and O. S. N. Co. s lighter to land the opinm. The shipping clerk of the Messageries, who superintended the landing of the cargo, availing himself of the opportunity, shifted a fow packages belonging to the French Company, and upon the arrival of the lightor at the wharf he commenced to take the packages into the Messageries Go- downs. This being noticed by some outside coolies, they called out to the Chinese on board the lighter not to do any more work under the circumstances. The consequence was that the remainder of the cargo in the lighter, including some packages for the Messageries and the whole! of Messra. Sassoon's opium, was left on board the lighter, the coolies relinquishing their work al together. We understand there were some police constables on the spot soon after a crowd was collected, but they said that they had no power to compel the coolies to proceed with the dis- charging of the cargo, but should there be any disturbance they wore there to quell it.
C. O.
20862
TRE
E69 8 DEC 14
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