Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-02-26
The Quinta and Septima.

These two steamers have earned for them
selves a no,oriety that will not soon be for
gotten in Honolulu. The first-narned entered
the port with coffins suspended from her
davits, containing the remains of Cinnamon
who had died from smallpox. In the face Of
this outrage, the master hands ir clean bill
of health. To make matters still worse, the
corpses were cut down by some one on board
Of the steamer, and dropped into the harbor,
finally finding resting place in Manoa val
ley. This vessels stay was of short duration
here, but some of the crew managed to desert
from her, and after her departure they reported
alarming facts about smallpox that had
existed during the voyage from Canton, and
worst of all they brought the contagion on
shore with them and communicated it to
natives hence the epidemic that has, so to
speak, spread pail over Honolulu during the
past four or five weeks.
The Septima commenced her voyage in a
mysterious manner. A correspondent in Hong
kong writes thus Z" "There seems to be some
thing very peculiar about the German steamer
.Septima. She was advertised in the Chinese
paper (only) to go to Honolulu. Even the
day and hour Of leaving were given. | sent
up some papers and letters to forward by her,
but the captain would not receive them, yet
did not say he was not going, but told us to
send the parcel to the agents. They (the
agents) endorsed the parcel "not going to
Honolulu" and returned it. "She is, see,
now at Whampoa, and imagine is going if
she can. The object Of course was to keep
:" it dark from the Governor {of Hongkong)
else she would not have been allowed to fit
Cup and provision" Now if the Septn,a has
violated the Imperial Chinese Emigration Act
or the Emigration Ordinances Of the colony of
Hongkong, the master and owner will un-
doubtedly have to pay the penalty should the
vessel ever appear in Hongkong waters again,
provided the facts come to the knowledge of
the authorities, about which there is little
doubt. However, the Septima did leave Can
ton with her living freight, whether legally or
otherwise, and brought the same to Honolulu
Again, a clean bill Of health was reported,
though searching Investigation has elected
facts which prove that smallpox existed
her arrival in this port there were two very
bad cases on board, which were concealed
from the Port Physician. But the most st,a ange
thing of all is discovered the last. The ves-
sci was reported to have $40 passengers on
board. On counting them out when placing
them in qua raniine, there was found to be
III. What can be the meaning of this dis
crcpancy? Was it that she has deceived the
emigration officers at the other end, or was it
for the object of evading the capitaton tax of
S2.s0 per head at this end. These are mat
ters that ought to be thoroughly sifted, and if
crime has been committed, let the law take
its course. 1t is a noticeable fact that no yes
sells under the British flag come here with
emigrants from Chiua, though there are more
steamers under the British flag in China
waters, than all other nations put together
Probably 1t is that the master of an English
vessel knows he cannot violate the laws with
impunity. We trust We have had the first and
last visit OF these numerically named steamers
under similar auspices to the present