132
The Traffic to Wladwistock, where there is a
heavy demand for coolies to work on the Trans-Sibe-
rian Railway, was enormously increased, as many as
11,000 Chinese having gone there in 14 steamers
under the Japanese, Russian, German and British
flags between the 25th March and the end of April.
The voyage to Wladiwostock is a fairly long one
1.200 miles, and though Mr Allen realised the dan-
ger to which these emigrants were exposed he was
powerless to exercise any effectual control over
the British vessels concerned, there being as he
states no law to compel a British ship in China to
adopt the same measures to secure safety as are
considered necessary in England. He however,
wrote to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
at Shanghai to enquire whether he should put inforce
certain Hongkong regulations which were applicable
in the case of steamers clearing with more than
20 Chinese passengers on voyages of over seven days'
duration".
The Chief Justice consulted the Hong-
kong
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