It may be well to state what has occurred.
The consul at Chefoo in the autumn of 1895 called attention to the dangerous overcrowding on the passenger steamers carrying Chinese coolies between that port and Vladivostock. The emigration has been chiefly in March & April.
The Imperial Chinese Passenger ships Act of 1855 empowers the Hongkong government to make regulations for British ships flying from any Chinese port and specially safeguards voyages of eight days duration. Vladivostock was declared under the act to be one of eight days duration & therefore subject to special obligations. Jardine & Matheson protested against the proclamation as unfair to British trade and unnecessary, the voyage not taking as long as eight days, and the proclamation was withdrawn.
Meanwhile, correspondence between this office, the Foreign Office, and the Board of Trade on the subject took place, and in January 1897 a despatch was addressed to the governor directing him, after consultation with the consuls at the Treaty Ports, to have an ordinance drafted, which shall regulate Chinese passenger ships on voyages of not more than seven days duration, the draft to be sent home for approval. This despatch has not been answered, & the matter slept for a year, till the Foreign Office sent us a copy of a report on the subject from the consul at Canton, in which he deprecated any restrictions on the British ships carrying Chinese coolies by the British authorities as likely to hamper British trade.
The China merchants & the China Association are now protesting. This is mainly a Foreign Office matter, though the Hong Kong government has control over British ships. We have asked the governor to report what has occurred.
be well foot to state what has
A
occured
The consul at Chefoo in the autumn of
189s called attention to the dangerous overcrowding on the passenger
Steamers
Chinese coolies between
Carrying that host and Vladivostock. The emigration has been in March & April
Chiefh
The
The Imperial Chinese Passenger ships
mathe
more than 'Seven
"Chinese port
and
act of 1855 empowers the Hongkong government to ma the regulations for British
skips flying from any Specially pander sofeguards voyages of
days duration. between modaiman was declared under the act to be one of eight days duration & therefore subject to Special Bligations. Jardine & Matheson protested against the proclamation as
to British trade and unnecessan unfair the voyage not taking as long as eight days", and the proclamation was with chain. Delhi Meanwhile cornertfondence between this office. "The Foreign
The voyage betrager Cheford Vladivostock
Medulin
took place
Office
and the Board of Trade on the subject and in January 1898 a despatch was addressed to the governor directing the
him
voyages
337
gomenor, after consultation with the consuls
at the Treaty Ports to cases have an ordinance drafted. which shall regulate Chinese passenger ships on magages of not more than seven days duration, the draft to be sent home for affroval. This despatch has not been answered, & the matter slept for a year,
till the Otter the Foreign Office
Z a report
Usent us a copy
on the subject from
subject from the consul at Canton, in which he deprecated any
restrictions
on
the British
skips
carrying by the British authorities as littely undaly to hamper
British trade. The China merchants & the China
Associations are now
potesting
- This is mainly a Foreign Office
malter, though the Hong Honly got
control
is the medium
Wo have asted the governs to report what
៥
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