633901-1898-Chinese-Immigration-Manila — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 24TH SEPTEMBER, 1898.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 425.

The following Letters with Rules in regard to the entrance of Chinese to the port of Manila ave published.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 23rd September, 1898.

T. SERCOMBE SMITH,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

OFFICE OF MILITARY GOVERNOR,

MANILA, P. I, September 7, 1898.

SIR,-The rules which will govern the United States Military Authorities in regard to the entrance of Chinese to the port of Manila have been formulated and furnished the Intendente General. I have the honor to enclose a copy of the same for your information and to state that any applications for amendment thereof will not, for the present, be entertained. It is the intention to rigidly enforce these rules and no Chinaman should be encouraged to present himself at this port whose right to enter such is in doubt.

The following are the rules:

Chinese laborers, skilled or unskilled, formerly resident in Manila and temporarily absent therefrom, will be allowed to return upon proper proof of such previous residence which may be made by presentation of a Spanish Cedula," or certificate of the American Consul of the port from which the returning Chinese have sailed.

The closest scrutiny of such "Cedulas" and certificates is enjoined, and in doubtful cases the Collector of this port will require them to be supported by additional proof, and no Chinaman of whatever nationality will be permitted by him to land except upon conclusive proof of previous residence.

There will be exempted from the above restrictions the parties named in Article 3 of the Con- vention between the United States of America and the Empire of China, published in supplement to the Revised Statutes of the United States, Volume 2, pages 155-7, to wit, Chinese Officials, Teachers. Students, Merchants or Travellers for curiosity or pleasure. The coming of these classes of Chinese will be permitted upon production of a certificate from their Government or the Government where they last resided, viséd by the diplomatic or consular representative of the United States in the country or port whence they depart, supplemented by such further proof as is required in section 6, of an Act of Congress approved July 5, 1884, and published in supplement of the Revised Statutes of the United States 1874 to 1891, page 458, to the requirements of which your attention is invited.

You will be informed at a later date of the rules and regulations which will govern your action in cases of Chinese residents of Mauila leaving this port for foreign ports, with the intention of return- ing after a temporary absence.

I have the honor to be,

Most respectfully, your obedient Servant,

The Honorable

H. A. RAMSDEN,

Her Britannic Majesty's Consul. Manila, P. I.

(Signed) T. A. OTIS,

Military Governor.

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY Governor, MANILA, P. I., September 8, 1898.

SIR,-I furnished you yesterday with a schedule of rules formulated to secure the interests of former resident Chinese who wish to return to Manila. The following language is used therein :-

“You will be informed at a later date of the rules and regulations, which will govern your actions in cases of Chinese residents of Manila, leaving this port for foreign ports with the intention of returning after a temporary absence.”

To meet that condition of affairs I have now the honor to furnish you with the following regn- lations, which have been imposed on the United States Collector of Customs.

The Military Governor directs that the following regulations will govern the return to this port of Chinese laborers skilled and unskilled, residents of Manila, who leave this port after this date :—

Every such Chinese laborer will, before his departure from this port, report to the Collector of Customs or one of his Deputies who will enter in a registry book, to be kept for that purpose, the name of such laborer, his age, occupation, physical marks or peculiarities, and such other facts as may be decined necessary for the purpose of identification. Said Collector or his Deputy will furnish to every such departing Chinese laborer a certificate to be signed by said Collector, or his Deputy, which certificate shall set forth all the facts shown by the registry books above mentioned, corresponding with said registry in all particulars.