CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 459

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

SZA

6138

TO MAH GLIDIN

20992

Enclosure N°2 in Sir J. Jordan's N:46 of January 23 Mr. Casal Playfair to Sir J. Jordan

His Majesty's Consulate,

Foochow, November 12, 1905.

21907

453 9878

10: 36.

sir,

Gr 19, MAR 07.

Rean?

"

24.

MAR 9 1907

.*

CATAL

With reference to your Telegram, No:8 of the 3rd instant, enquiring aa to the existence of popular agitation against the emigration of local coolies to Mexico, and to my telegram in reply, No:12 of the samo date, stating that nothing of the kind had been brought to my notice; I have now the honour to give a short account of the circamatancos which, no doubt, formed the basis of the mmour that reach -ed the French Vinister.

On May 10 last, 515 coolies were shipped from Foochow by the German steamer "Erna" for Santa Rosalia, Lower California, Mexico, for work in the copper mines owned by the Compagnie du Bolée. These coolies were examined by Doctors Myers and Vizérie of Pagoda Anchorage and were passed as being perfectly healthy at the time of their departure. I am unable to ascertain at what precise time the epidemic of beri-beri broke out among the coclies. Er Vetch, a French citizen, by whom the coolies were shippud, states that the epidemic appears to have broken out one month after their arrival at Santa Rosulia. On the other hand, it was stated by the French Vice-Consul, W. Hardy, \ that some 6 or 7 of the coolies had died on the voyage out but he could not give the cause of the deaths. He also informed me that over 100 of the coolies had died at the

mines

r J. E. Jordan, K, 0, X, G.

His Majesty's Minister,

PEKING

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