Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-01

such large crowd of emigrants, on the
 Pekin?" ''WeIl 8 large number may have
 been returning by virtue of papers issued to them by the San Francisco officials, in which case they have nothing to do with me or my office. Then again, good many may have remained here for some time after getting out
 their papers "
 ''As for the last consideration, it would seem enough to say that the traffic is steady
 one But if any did remain, it would be to
 be here at the time of your great national festival. New Years, which is just now ap
 preaching. It has always been noticed that there is great falling of in emigration just before New Years. But here we have l, 1850 people starting of right on t8e eve of the great celebration, number which will, 1 think, compare favorably with the rate dur ing the time of unlimited immigration" ''As you say, sir, it does indeed look as though the law was being evaded in some way. How, I can hardly imagine. It does not seem as though anyone can have had the audacity to start an agency for the issuance of counter felt papers. l am more inclined to believe that the men start off without papers at all, and expect to be transferred in the harbor al San Francisco to ships bound for Canada the Sandwich Islands, or Panama I have heard that the steamship companies will take them on board without passports at aIl quite agree that the matter should be investi gated. I have heard 1t said that Consul Moseby at Hong Kong gives out papers, but do not know how that may be. Some have claimed, also, that as Hong Kong is British colony, Chinamen can legally sail from there without certificates.
 ''Isn't it possible that people may take ad- vantage of you and get certificates when they are not really entitled to them?" ''It is quite possible. There are millions and millions of people right here. and 1t is not easy to verify mans story. For instance, he may dis guise himself with handsome borrowed clothes, get woman to swear that she is hi>
 wife, and an interruptions shop keeper to go on the bond. We may be completely de eeived, but we try to investigate thoroughly
 then again, it is not easy for us to define the
 word trader. There Is a good deal of latitude in the term, which makes it possible for com mon laborers to make themselves out traders and thus be entitled to papers For instance, a man who hawks cabbage on the street will ask to go to California to ply his trade there Legally he is 8 trader He is not going into the employ of any man in America, he works for himself. But yeu will observe that all this does not account for the numerical dis crepancy, since, as I have said, the sum total of the passports issued, even Including all suppositlous cases of undetected fraud, does not include over 1,171."
 ''Are there any other offices for the making out ot certifeates?' ''No, sir. Any China man anywhere in the kingdom, who wants to go to America, must come to me for papers. I do not have many cases from distance however. The emigration Is principally from the Kwang tung (Oanton) province. I have frequently refused applicants who have con from distance simply because it would so difficult to verify their statements, although l might have confidence in what they said '
 Pardon the impertinence, but would it not be well for your honor to go down this week and look over the company of Chinamen who take passage on the Arabic from Hong Kong?" ''I think the plan very good one, and will ask the Viceroy's permission tomorrow"
 Thanking my host for his generous and patient audience with me, which has lasted nearly three hours, I kotowed myself out of the apartment, while he reeled off some more of the elaborate verbiage which had taken nay breath away at the first meeting During the interview 8 servant had kept constantly renewing cup of tea which was placed at my elbow on my entering the room Interest 1n the topic which was being discussed had deterred me from tasting of the beverage but it is one of the fundamental canons of Chinese etiquette to keep hot tea constantly before guest. My interpreter also deserves a word. You would have sworn that he was not day over seventeen years of age if you could have seen him, so smooth and boyish was his phiz; but have since learned that he was nearly thirty-five He kept up a running fire ot conversation, and it was only by pin ming him down to the matter under consider ation that could elicit the desired informa- tion They say that this desire to do all the talking, and wander off into unexplored fields of rhetoric, is characteristic of the Chinese interpreter.
 The excitement on the streets had some what snbsided when we came to return; but of course our laboring, panting coolies had to keep up an incessant bowling to warn pe- destrians and especially the blind That is Rh <,-,Iw, l1- L
 time.
 I see there is considerable agitation in America of the subject of delegating to the consul at Canton the responsibility in the matter of passports Don't do it. If Mir. Seymour has offended, commute the sentence to imprisonment for life, for I am sure that punishment would be preferable No mortal being would take an, further interest in life after such a commission. The sublimest intellect would reel from it's throne Do you expect Mr Seymour to say: 1T have known this man personally for thirty years, and believe him to be an honorable gentleman and a profound scholar His name is Wing Hong Peng Hing Qxyz. his complexion is copper color and he wears pi2tail." By these unmistakable qualifications. it would be altogether easy to identify Chinese tourist landing in San Francisco, of course; but very little would be added to the sum total of Mir. Seymour's
  accept such a field for the attacks of enemies who are willing to hint at the addition which such department might make to his annual salary.
 * * Jan. Is. Pursuant to agreement Mr. Chik Pow Shu called atthe consulate to-day In the meantime we have discovered fact l which considerably modides the aspect of | things. It seems that by the mistake of clerk in the employ of the steamship compa ny, the number of passengers on board the l Pekin was exaggerated just ten-fold. This | mistake was copied by all the newspapers here, and generally circulated. EVerybodv has been commenting on the matter, until now in self-vindication the company an- nounces that the number should have been set down as 155 instead of ,550. This places matters in 8 somewhat different light but the feeling here is still to the effect that the spirit of the Restriction act has been and is being evaded. As there is barely time to mail this letter, will leave the foregoing statements unaltered. The general method of the man. agement of things at this end of the line as set forth in the interview, is doubtless of some interest. The easy interpretation given | to the term ''trader'' will-also strike the l reader. It is doubtless the cause of much of l company also states that the rate of migra- | ton varies from 12O to nearly 400 persons | per steamer; that all of these must show pass l ports or letters from the San Francisco ! authorities. and if they have never visited l California before, must make deposit with | the compradore which will cover their return | passage; and that each passenger is examined | by a doctor before he goes on board.
 MT. Chik Pow Shu stated that the Viceroy l had approved his plan, but desired that be l fore any investigation was made on an Eng | lish-built ship in English waters. he should | receive through the English consul at Canton | permission from the government of the Hong | Kong colony to pass through the ship, and l demand the presentation of passports All | this will take time, and so 1t is arranged that | the examination shall take place on the event | of the succeeding steamers departure, when | the required leave will have been obtained.
 l have seen Col Moseby, consul at Hong | Kong. and he of course quashes with denial | the ridiculous story about his having authority | to issue papers. An absurd case has been | brought into the courts here of a Chinaman who insists upon his right to take passage to America on the ground that, being born at Hong Kong, he is British subject; and a lawyer has even taken this position in his be- half. Conversely, I suppose any American person born on the foreign concession in Shanghai or Canton must get out passport before ha can on to Anariea. and if baoin |