CO129-265 - Public Offices & Others - 1894 — Page 139

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what extent British ships were prejudiced to the

advantage of other flags.

I learnt that the

German Vice Consul at Chefoo had power to prevent

overcrowding on German steamers, but that neither

the Russian nor the Japanese Consul could exercise

--

any effective control over the number of emigrants

carried by their ships. In fact it was abundant-

ly clear that the enforcement of the Chinese Pass-

engers' Act at Chefoo must tend to hamper British

shipping so long as the vessels of other Treaty

Powers were not subjected to similar regulations

for the safety of passengers.

In the meantime Messrs Jardine, Matheson and

Company protested to the Hongkong Government against

the enforcement of the Chinese Passengers' Act Re-

gulations, and I ventured to draw the attention of

the

Governor, Sir William Robinson to the disad-

vantages imposed thereby on British shipping, urg-

ing that before putting the proclamation into force

I should be allowed time to make enquiries with a

view to finding out what preventive measures the

other

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