The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-09-09
Mr.. Hoffnung's Protest.

The following is a copy of the protest mad,
by Mr.. Hoffnung before the steamer Hansa sailed
from Lisbon, referred to in the letter of our Lon.
don correspondent which we publish to-day -
81, Abraham Hoffnung, being a British sub
ject, resident in the city of London, and beine
charged with the equipment and dispatch OF
vessels and steamers chartered by order of the
Hawaiian Board of immigration to convey emf
grant passengers to that Kingdom, do declare
and make oath as follows:
That the steamship Hansa was chartered in
London on the 26th of May last to convey cargo,
mails and passengers from London to Lisbon
and st. Michaels, aud thence to Honolulu.
THAT the steamer was built on the Clyde by
builders of the highest repute, as a frst-class
passenger steamer, that she is classed 100 A. 1.
at Lloyds (whose certificates is hereto attached
being the highest classification of the most
competent and trustworthy authority in the
world.
'That after the steamer was fitted up for the
accommodation of emigrant passengers I had
her again fully surveyed by two competent sur
veyors of shipping and marine of great repute III
London, whose certificate, declared before the
Portuguese Consul-General in London is hereto
attached.
THAT thus well equipped and amply pro-
visloned for the voyage the Hansa arrived in the
Tagus on the Goth of June for the purpose of
conveying passengers who h ad undertaken to go
in her to Honolulu on conditions which had
been made known, namely, that free passages
would be granted to those who would undertake
TO WOrK IOr the hawaiian Board OF immigration
for three years-in consideration of good wages,
with free board and lodging for themselves and
families, and free education for their children,
and the fullest protection under the Hawaiian
laws equally with the citizens of that Kingdom.
THAT In order to complete her store of pro-
visions and to see that every thing necessary
should be provided, [ came as passenger in the
Hansa from London TO Lisbon.
THAT on the day of my arrival I was informed
that the notary who had been appointed to re-
cognize the agreements which the passengers
were to make, suggested some verbal alterations
so as to bring them in direct accordance with
the Portuguese law, which 1 promptly ordered
to be done
''That in the meantime the passengers (f
whom 400 were advised ready to embark) arriv-
ing and having neither food nor shelter were re-
ceived on beard the steamer at the solicitation
of the agents, Notwithstanding that they had not
yet fulfilled the conditions which entitled them
to q free passage.
THAT on the Both ultimo the notary proceeded
on board the Hansa and having read over to
them, the passengers, the terms and conditions
of the agreements they had undertaken to make,
they willingly signed them, with one exception.
who in consequence was sent ashore.
That on the following day the notary re-
turned to the agent of the Board of immigration
the agreements which had been signed by the
passengers, but without his recognition, stating
that he could not recognize them, although he
had previously stated that they were in strict
accordance with the Portuguese law as evidenced
Dy the ldcl tlat he ndu pTOCuFeu the SlBudjuFeb
of the passengers to them.
That on the 29th ultimo a gentleman, VIII
stated that he was the Chief of the River Police
came on board the Hansa and took as many
passengers on shore as could be induced to go,
stating that complaints had been made that
their liberty was restricted or that they were
illegally detained but seeing that the Hansa
was moored in the Tagus and that Custom House
guards and officers were constantly on board,
such a charge could hardly have been serious,
and was certainly contrary to fact.
THAT the visits of the police boat and the
conveyance of the passengers and
forwards between the steamer and the shore
were repeated several times between the 29th of
June and LIST of July, against the peace, COM
fort, and rights of those who came in her on
lawful business. |
THAT many of the passengers returned how
ever, having declared themselves perfectly salts
fed and wishful to complete their voyage not
that they had been strongly dis
suaded from so doing.
THAT the consigness of the Hansa being wish
full to give her every dispatch applied for the
privilege of a packet for her, and that upon its
being suggested in the press that this was done
in order to avoid an official inspection of the
steamer, 1 ordered the patent to be declined and
an inspection to be ct once invited
ffThat the request for this inspection was
made on the morning of the both of June and
on the evening of the 1st of July, the Captain of
the Port, the Director of the Custom House, the
Chief of the River Police, and a number of other
gentlemen came on Board for this purpose.
the Chief of the River Police then pro-
duced a book in which he stated were contained
the laws relating to the business upon which
they had come and demanded 1st, a list of pas
sengers about TO saG in the steamer; but seeing /
that until after this inspection we did not know
what number of passengers we should be per-
nitted to take, and that the Chief of the River
Police had himself so frequently altered the
of our passengers by his action-the
officers of the steamer were not in a position to
COW on the instant how many naSSanOars re-
NAMED on board. 1 requested him therefore,
to give me a few minutes time in order to pre-
pare the required list and, as there appeared
much else to do, 1 proposed to attend to other
matters in the meantime. This the Chief of the
River Police refused, and said he must do his
duty in the order of the law-he declared the
suspended and informed US that if we
wished to proceed with it, we must make & fresh
al nAhor 1nra rnnld hn onnninfed l