The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-14
. PIGTAIL PASSPORTS.
The First Registrations Under the
New Chinese Law.

The Occidental and Orier-
tai steamship Oceanic, which
departed for China yes!er-
day, carried away from these
shores eishty-nine Mougolians, the
first consignment of coolies shipped to
HoDgkong under the new restriction
law. As is we'll known, the restric-
ton measure does not commence
operations until August 4th, but
the Mongols who left yesterday may
desire to return, or to ASSET a
cousin" to get over, and a wink
form Consul I]ee YVES sufficient.
During the Last few days, conse-
quently, eighty-nine Mongols ap-
peared before Deputy Collector W.
+. Thomas at the Custom house and
demanded TO have their backs
chalked and their names put down
in the books as respectable residents
of the republic. according to the
Chinese restriction law. Mr.. Thomas
made out certificate therefor, Civ
ing a description of the bearer and
stating that he had previously resided
in America and was entitled to re-
enter any port upon presenting the
paper.
The Mongolisns then hied TO the
Chinese Consulate and procured an
other paper in the form of passport,
signed by the Consul-GeneIal end
white Consul of the Flowery King
dom. This paper contains personal
description OF the Mongol whose name
it bears. his age, occupation, height,
color OF eyes, last place of residence,
etc. Armed with this. the AfoDgol
was sent back to the CustOm-house,
where his number was registered and
his description compared with that
already on file, card with an official
seal being attached, and the back of
the passport filed in with dupl:cass !
description and signed by Mr.. |
Thomas. The card is intended |
to pass the Chinaman to the
ship on which he departs
Only about ten Of these certificates
styled the bearers laoorers; all the
others were merchants, zone hsiling
from New XOrk, another from, Kan
sas City, another from Honolulu and
the rest from the coast. Lhe similar.
ity Of the descriptions caused the
Custom-house officers to smile. All
had black hair and black eyes; all had
pigsails; all were abou! the same age,
the same height and the same weight,
and all possessed sbout the same
style of beauty otherwise. These GER
.ifioates will probably bring a good
premium on their par value in Hong
Kong.
Consul Bee vas upon the NhlrI yes-
,erdsy when the merchants" left Us,
out nothing happened OF any mo-
nent, save that Celestial with one
Eye endeavored to get aboard on d
that called for a Chinam&n
Nth two eyes, and another with cross
'yes tried to p2ss himself on a csrti6.
ate that neglected to mention ths
'bliquity of his vision. The Q little
matters will be remedied, however,
md the two will go on the next
teamer, bat their new passports CALI
ng for one-eyed and oross-eyed bear.
rs Will be OF little value in the Hong
Aon4 certificate market of the future.
TIE Custom-house officers aboard
hip conducted themselves IN be-
7idered s0rt Of manner, as If con
ciOus OF their inability 10 idantify
be ChiDsmen by the descriptions,
nd all were Dassed by reference to
heir NUMBERS, with tAe two exosp-
ons noted above. A series OF b anks
} De used 10 registration are exoecse1
,om Washington il a few days, whsn
be manner OF turning passports out
nj be much simpIifed.-SGm Fran
iscO Chronicle,