Correspondence respecting the Macao coolie trade, and the steamer "Fatchoy."

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CORRESPONDENCE
RESPECTING
THE MACAO COOLIE TRADE,
AND THE
STEAMER FATCHOY.
Presented to the House of Commons by Command of Her Majesty, in pursuance of their Address of June 16, 1873.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY HARRISON AND SONS.
[C.797.j Price 2d.


LIST OF PAPERS
No. Page
1. Mr. Holland to Mr. Hammond ., .. November 9, 1872 1
Two Inclosures.
2. Viscount Enfield to Mr. Holland ., ,. November 16, 1872 2
3. Mr. Wade to Earl Grahville .. .. .. November 2, 1872 2
One Inclosure.
4. Consul Dunlop to Earl Granville * ., .. December 24, 1872 3
Two Inclosures.
5. Mr. Hammond to Mr. Holland ., .. January 24, 1873 5
6. Earl Granville to Lord Odo Russell .. .. .. January 30, 1873 5
7. Mr. Hammond to Mr. Holland .. . January 30, 1873 5
8. Mr. Herbert to Mr.Hammond.. .. February 14, 1873 5
9. Earl Granville to Sir C. Murray .. .. February 27, 1873 6
10. Lord Odo Russell to Bari Granville .. March 6, 1873 6
11. Mr. Holland to Mr. Hammond .. .. June 21, 1873 6
Eight Inclosures.


RETURN to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons, dated June 1C, 1873 ;
fir
Copies or Extracts of Correspondence between the Foreign Office and Her Majestys Representatives at Lisbon and Peking, Her Majestys Consuls in China, and the Colonial Office, relative to the Macao Coolie Trade (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, C. 504, of Session 1872):
Of the Despatch of the Foreign Office to Her Majestys Ambassador at Berlin regarding the steamer Fatchoy (the property of German owners at Hong Kong), engaged in the said traffic:
And, of the Letter of Her Majestys Consul-General at the Havana, dated the 24th day of December, 1872, and its inclosures.
No. 1.
Mr. Holland to Mr. Hammond.(Received November 11.)
Sir, Downing Street, November 9, 1872.
I AM desired to transmit to you a copy of a despatch which Lord Kimberley proposes, with the concurrence of Lord Granville, to address to the Governor of Hong Kong, bringing to Sir Arthur Kennedys notice the reports that foreign vessels engaged in the shipment of coolies from Macao are equipped in the port of Hong Kong.
I am, &c.
(Signed) H. T. HOLLAND.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
The Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir A. Kennedy.
Sir, Downing Street, November 9, 1872.
IT has at different times been represented to me that foreign vessels engaged in the shipment of coolies from Macao are equipped in the port of Hong Kong, or furnished with supplies or stores from that Colony, and my attention has recently been directed to the following paragraph extracted from a Hong Kong newspaper:
The Spanish steamer Bueno Ventura, a sister to, and belonging to the same owner as the steamship Yrurac Bat, which vessel fitted up here and left a few days back for Macao, for a cargo of coolies, has arrived here to fit up for the same purpose.
2. You are probably aware that during the late Session of Parliament an Act (three copies of which I inclose) was passed for the purpose of repressing the abuses connected with the movement of natives from their islands in the Pacific Ocean to labour on plantations.
3. Although great cruelties have been perpetrated in connection with this traffic in South Sea islanders, they can hardly have been greater than those which have led to the disgraceful and horrible occurrences from time to time reported as having place on board ships conveying Chinese coolies from Macao.
4. Her Majestys Government, which has been under the necessity of making repeated remonstrances to the Portuguese Government on the subject of the Macao coolie trade, cannot permit that there should be even the shadow of a justification for any such imputation as that British subjects in Hong Kong partake in, and profit by, a traffic which the Queens Government deplores and protests against. And I see no reason why British subjects resident in Hong Kong should not as well as those in Australasia be subjected to the punishment prescribed in Section 9 of the Kidnapping Act, 1872, for the offences specified in that section, if committed within the territorial jurisdiction of the Colony.
5. I request you to give particular attention to the Kidnapping Act, 1872, and to consider whether some of its provisions might not with the necessary alterations be made applicable to Hong Kong. If you are of opinion that they might be, I request you to transmit to me, as soon as possible, the draft of an Ordinance for that purpose.
[418] B 2


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As Chief Justice Smale has given much attention to this question I request you to give him a copy of this despatch, and of the Act inclosed in it, and to intimate to him that I shall be glad to receive from him, through you, any observations or suggestions which he may wish to offer either in conjunction or after consultation with the Attorney-General and yourself, or separately.
You will also lay this despatch before the Legislative Council. <
I have, &c.
(Signed) KIMBERLEY.
' Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
35 & 36 Vict.Chapter 19.
An Act for the Prevention and Punishment of Criminal Outrages upon Natives of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean.[27th June, 1872. J
No. 2.
Viscount Enfield to Mr. Holland.
Sir, Foreign Office, November 16, 1872.
I AM directed by Earl Granville to request that you will inform the Earl of Kimberley that Earl Granville concurs in the proposed instruction to the Governor of Hong Kong, which was inclosed in your letter of the 9th instant, relative to the reported equipment at Hong Kong of foreign vessels engaged in the shipment of coolies from Macao.
I am, &c.
(Signed) ENFIELD.
No. 3.
Mr. Wade to Earl Granville.(Received January 11, 1873.)
My Lord, Peking, November 2, 1872.
I HAVE the honour to inclose an extract from an interesting note I have received from Sir Brooke Robertson. The Chinese Government is doing something to stop the Slave Trade at Macao, but as usual its action for good is greatly hindered by its incurable corruptions.
I have, &c.
(Signed) THOMAS FRANCIS WADE.
Inclosure in No. 3.
Consul Sir D. Robertson to Mr. Wade.
(Extract.) Hong Kong, October 5, 1872.
I FOUND the Macao barracoons were supplied chiefly from Canton and the kidnapped were shipped as passengers by the daily steamers, so, in communication with the Viceroy, Wiyunes or Weiyuens were appointed to board these vessels every morning and pick out the prisoners, for such they really are. I wrote to the Secretary of the Company at Hong Kong that this would be done, and to instruct the masters not to make any opposition. I have had some trouble with these gentlemen (the masters), but a great many have been removed.


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No. 4. V
, Consul Dunlop to Earl Granville.('Received January 20, 1873.)
My Lord, Havana, December 24, 1872.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship, the copy of a statement made to the American Consul-General here, regarding a recent voyage of a steamer nominally under the Spanish flag, called the Fatchoy, employed in bringing Chinese coolies from Macao to Cuba.
This declaration was made by one of the men employed in the engine-room of the steamer, who has now left her.
The American Consul-General gives implicit credence to the statement, which he has officially reported to his Government.
It would appear from this evidence that the Fatchoy is really engaged in slave trading, with the knowledge and concurrence of her German owners at Hong Kong.
The Chinese, on arrival here, are immediately contracted or sold to the planters (as I have already explained to your Lordship), and are as much slaves as the negro bondmen throughout Cuba. This will be their real condition, so long as negro-slavery in any shape, exists here.
I ask leave to subjoin a notice of the voyage of the Fatchoy, lately published in an American paper.
I have, &c.
(Signed) A. GRAHAM DUNLOP.
Inclosure 1 in No. 4.
Extract from an American Newspaper.
CHINESE labourers continue to arrive. The steamer Fatchoy brought over 900 of this unfortunate people, and official notice has been published of the expected arrival of the Irurac Bat with the same number. Other vessels now in China are engaged in the same traffic, which yields an immense profit to shipowners and all engaged in it. A passenger of the Fatchoy has informed your correspondent that the vessel went from point to point kidnapping Chinese; others were inveigled on board by speculators or vagabonds, as they are called there, who received 30 dollars for each one of their victims. As soon as they arrive on board they are stowed away below in irons until the full complement was received, which was ten times the number the capacity of the vessel allowed. The horrors of the traffic and the voyage of the Fatchoy can easily be imagined.
Three mutinies and an attempt to burn the steamer took place during the voyage. The crew and all hands on such occasions fired into the Chinese and adopted other severe measures, such as hard knocks and scalding water, until the tumults were quelled.
The loss on the voyage of the Fatchoy on this account and deaths from sickness and suffering was over eighty Chinese,
Inclosure 2 in No. 4.
Declaration.
(Extract.)
THE steamer Fatchoy, formerly Vixen (British), was sold at Hong Kong in July 1872, and placed under the German' flag. The purchasers, Messrs. Paul Eblers and Co., had her then put under the Spanish flag by nominal transfer to a Spaniard. She was then fitted-out at Hong Hong with iron grating on the hatches, and round the hatches, and in the between decks, and at the side ports, iron barricades were also fitted out in deck. After this work had been done, she took in water and coal and proceeded, on the 1st of last August, to Macao.
On or about the 15th of August she commenced loading coolies ; they were sent off in lots, three times a week, generally on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, sometimes from 40 to 100 in a lot, but seldom above 50. The coolies are never considered to be finally secured until they are once on board, then their case becomes one of desolation and despair.
While Fatchoy was lying at Macao, the steamer Roseta dNina, which had been dispatched some six weeks previously, returned to Macao in distress, and her cargo


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of 700 coolies was transferred to the "Fatchoy ;" these coolies were in a sad state, many of them had been cruelly flogged and otherwise ill-used on board the Roseta dNina. With this large accession, the cargo was soon completed to the number of 1,005 coolies.
Every one of these men gave indications that the vilest deception had been practised upon them, and once having realized the utter hopelessness of their situation, gave themselves up to frantic despair. Some would throw themselves overboard whenever an opportunity offered, but two boats were constantly alongside to pick them up and return them on board.
The price paid the coolie-catchers, as they are called, is 50 dollars per head (delivered at the barracoons), but the amount is not paid over until the coolie is on board ship. Thus the catcher or kidnapper, insures the delivery of the coolie, although he is sent off in the ships boats.
The "Fatchoy" left Macao on the 26th August, with the 1,005 coolies on hoard ; all went well until the fourth day out. On this day, at about 3 p.m., a cry of Mutiny forward was raised. The coolies had attacked the guards ; one of the guards went overboard, probably thrown over by the coolies ; the other guard took to the rigging. The coolies had made a rush to the Chinese galley (for cooking), probably to try to get knives or weapons. The mate and second mate, from the bridge, shot into the crowd and wounded three of the coolies. This checked the mutiny. The officers then rallied, and succeeded in catching a number of the coolies and tying them by their long hair to the iron barricade, or to the iron gratings, and driving the rest below. About 150 were put in irons.
The next morning the Spanish captain had them brought up. Some bags of rice were placed on deck and the prisoners were laid across the bags, then unmercifully flogged and beaten by two men keeping time with their whips or sticks. In a short time the deck was covered with blood. As each coolie was flogged, he was washed with salt and water and sent below.
We arrived at Anger, Batavia, on the 9th September, remained there two days, and thence proceeded to the Mauritius, and there took in water and coal, the ship remaining in quarantine. From the Mauritius we went to the Cape of Good Hope. In all these ports the coolies were kept below; and while coaling was going on, the hatches were put on, and the hospital bulkheads for the sick were closed. The heat was intolerable even in the open air.
The voyage for the coolies was one of the most unimaginable sufferings: they were struck, kicked, flogged, and otherwise treated with the greatest brutality. The filth and stench was something horrible. The hospitals were not cleaned during the whole voyage. I often turned away my eyes when I witnessed such dreadful scenes. I venture to say that in the annals of the African Slave Trade all the horrors of the middle passage never surpassed those of this China slave-ship.
The deaths on this direful and murderous voyage reached eighty, or about 8 per cent, of the number taken on board at Macao. Their deaths were, doubtless, caused by the blows they received, by general ill-usage, and by the filthy condition of the ship.
We reached Havana in due time, and were not put into quarantine, but proceeded at onpe to discharge our cargo of live freight.
The steamer "Fatchoy" is, to all intents and purposes, German property, She has been in some way chartered to the Havana Coolie Importing Society for two trips, one of which is now fulfilled.
There was on board a man styled, in sailor parlance, a paper captain. He appeared to be the agent of the owners of the coolies, or something like a supercargo. He had full control of the coolies, superintending the beatings and other punishments inflicted on the coolies throughout the voyage. A more merciless ruffian never lived.
The other "captain is a German. On the ships papers he is styled sailing-master. The first, second, and third mates, and the carpenter, are all Germans. The chief engineer is an American; the others English, Scotch, and Irish. The crew comprised of several nations, but all of them understanding English. There were only two or three on board who spoke Spanish.
The officers always spoke English or German.
Havana, December 18, 1872.


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No. 5.
Mr. Hammond to Mr. Holland.
Sir, Foreign Office, January 24, 1873.
I AM directed by Her Majestys Secretary of State to transmit to you, to be laid before the Earl of Kimberley, a copy of a despatch from Mr. Wade, inclosing an extract of a letter from Sir B. Robertson respecting the emigration of coolies from Macao.*
I am, &c.
(Signed) E. HAMMOND.
No. 6.
Earl Granville to Lord Odo Russell.
My Lord, , Foreign Office, January 30, 1873.
I TRANSMIT herewith copies of a despatch and of its inclosure from Her Majesty's Consul-General at Havana relative to the proceedings of a steamer named the Fatehoy, said to be a German vessel ;f and I have to request that your Excellency will bring this matter to the knowledge of the German Government.
I am. &c.
(Signed) GRANVTLLE.
No. 7.
Mr. Hammond to Mr. Holland.
Sir, Foreign Office, January 30, l7o.
I AM directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you, for the information of the Earl of Kimberley, copies of a despatch and of its inclosures from Her Majestys Consul-General at Havana, relative to the proceedings of a vessel named the Fatchoy, said to be German, in kidnapping Chinese coolies for sale in Cuba.+
Her Majestys Ambassador at Berlin has been requested to bring the matter to the notice of the German Government.
I am, &e.
(Signed) E. HAMMOND.
No. 8.
Mr. Herbert to Mr. Hammond.{Received February 15.)
Sir, Downing Street, February 14,1873.
I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge your letter of the 30th ultimo, relative to the proceedings of a vessel named the Fatchoy, said to be German, in kidnapping Chinese coolies for sale in Cuba.
As this ship is stated to have sailed from Macao, Lord Kimberley presumes that Lord Granville will bring the substance of Mr. Dunlops despatch to the notice of the Portuguese Government as well as to the notice of the German Government.
Lord Kimberley has already instructed the Governor of Hong Kong, in a despatch, a copy of which was transmitted in my letter to you of the 9th of November, to pass an Ordinance to prevent any ships being fitted out in that Colony, as it appears was the case with the Fatchoy, to carry coolies from China to any port not in Her Majestys dominions. But unless the Chinese authorities enforce a similar prohibition at Whampoa, Lord Kimberley fears that it is not probable that any serious impediment will be put in the way of the dispatch of these ships.
I am, &c.
(Signed) ROBERT G. W. HERBERT.
* No. 3.
+ No. 4.


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No. 9.
Earl Granville to Sir C. Murray.
Sir, Foreign Office, February 27, 1873*
WITH reference to my despatch to Mr. Doria, of the 22nd August last, and to previous correspondence respecting the shipment of Chinese coolies at Macao, I transmit to you herewith a copy of a despatch from Her Majestys Consul-General at the Havana, inclosing a statement relative to the voyage of the steamer Fatchoy with coolies from Macao to the Havana.*
In communicating this despatch to the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs, you will inform his Excellency that the Governor of Hong Kong has been instructed to pass an Ordinance to prevent any ships being fitted out in that Colony to carry coolies from China to any port not in Her Majestys dominions; and also that Her Majestys Ambassador at Berlin has been instructed to bring the case of the Fatchoy to the notice of the German Government.
I am, &c.
(Signed) GRANVILLE.
No. 10.
Lord Odo Russell to Earl Granville.(Received March 10.)
My Lord, Berlin, March 6, 1873.
I HAVE brought the facts relative to the proceedings of a steamer named the Fatchoy, said to be a German vessel, to the knowledge of Herr von Balan, in obedience to your Lordships instructions of the 30th January.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ODO RUSSELL.
No. 11.
Mr. Holland to Mr. Hammond.(Received June 23.)
Sir, Downing Street, June 21, 1873.
WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 16th February, I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, for the information of Earl Granville, copies of the accompanying despatches respecting the vessel Fatchoy, which is engaged in the Macao coolie trade. Lord Kimberley presumes that these papers will be added to those about to be laid before Parliament in compliance with Sir C. Wingfields motion of the 16th of June.
I am, Sec.
(Signed) H. T. HOLLAND.
Inclosure 1 in No. 11.
The Earl of Kimberley to Sir A. Kennedy.
Sir, Downing Street, February 13, 1873.
I TRANSMIT to you a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, inclosing a despatch from Her Majestys Consul-General at Havana relative to the proceedings of a vessel named the Fatchoy, and which is said to be German, in kidnapping Chinese coolies for sale in Cuba.
This vessel is stated to have been sold in July last, in Hong Kong, to Messrs. Paul, Ehlers and Co., and to have been fitted out there with iron gratings on the hatches, and round the hatches in the between decks, and at the side ports, and also to have had iron barricades fitted on the deck.
I greatly regret to receive this official corroboration of the allegation which has been repeatedly made, that persons residing in Hong Kong are profitably connected with a traffic
* No. 4.


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which has been productive of the most disgraceful abuses, and which Her Majestys Government have been most desirous to see abolished ; and I wish to be informed whether those who fitted out this vessel were British subjects, and whether the fittings out were approved by the Harbour Master, under section 27 of the Ordinance No. 1 of 1862.
I have, &c.
(Signed) KIMBERLEY.
Inclosure 2 in No. 11.
Governor Sir A. Kennedy to the Earl of Kimberley.
My Lord, Government House, Hong Kong, April 25, 1873.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your Lordships despatch of the 13th February, regarding the emigrant ship Fatchoy, which left Macao with a large number of coolies for Havana after partly fitting out in this harbour.
2. The statements which formed inclosures to this despatch are fully corroborated by sworn testimony taken in this Colony. As, however, the documents already in the Colonial Office contain the same information which I have gathered here, I do not think it necessary at present to transmit it to your Lordship.
3. I have, however, to report in reply to the inquiries which the despatch contains that, although the Fatchoy was purchased by a German firm, Messrs. Paul Ehlers and Co., she was prior to her leaving this harbour sold to Mr. Abella, a Spanish subject, and she wore the Spanish colours.
4. Nevertheless, it is quite certain Messrs. Paul, Ehlers and Co. did not give up entirely their interest in the vessel, inasmuch as one of the partners of that firm, Mr. C. R. Menser, sailed in her as supercargo, and played a very prominent part, according to the information at hand, in what went on during the voyage.
5. Of this firm I am unable to give your Lordship many particulars. Mr. Paul Ehlers is the resident head of the business, and he signs himself as attorney for Mr. Abella. There can, I think, be no reasonable doubt that the Fatchoy was fitted out by that firm, and further, that she is under a contract not for one but for two voyages. The actual fittings, i.e., barricades, &c., were made by Chinese artisans.
6. I have called upon the Harbour Master to state what took place in his jurisdiction when the Fatchoy was fitting out, and I inclose a copy of that officers report. It is quite clear that her fittings were made in Hong Kong, and there are good reasons for concluding that at any rate part of the barricades were actually fixed before the vessel left these waters.
7. Nevertheless, it is equally clear that the officers of the Harbour Department were on the alert with a view to preventing, as far as their limited powers permitted, the fixing of objectionable gratings. The statement of Mr. Thomsett is, in this subject, supported by the agents of the steamer in a letter to the China Mail, a copy of which I inclose; and although the boarding officer did not go on board every day, yet he frequently inspected the vessel in the course of his duties in order to insure the requirements of the law being observed.
8. There is little advantage to be obtained from concealing the fact that the law as it stood when the Fatchoy lay in this harbour was, to all practical intents and purposes, a dead letter. It was not within anybodys province to stop the gratings and barricades from being made. Chinese blacksmiths and carpenters took measurements and executed their work without infringing the law of the Colony, and the Harbour Master was left without adequate means to prevent barricades from being fixed, a matter easy of execution and which could be done as the vessel was leaving the harbour, or, as we now know, more frequently at Macao, whither the articles were shipped in junks, or concealed in the hold of the coolie ship when clearing for that port.
9. Happily, all this is now at an end, owing to the passing of an Ordinance which I am this day transmitting to your Lordship.* Public officers will never satisfactorily perforin what is supposed to be their duty, when it is acknowledged on all sides that the law they are attempting to enforce is a farce, as was stated by the Attorney-General yesterday before the Legislative Council. At the present hour it is impossible for such a case as that of the Fatchoy to occur, so far as Hong Kong is concerned; for from the time such a vessel is intended to be used for the conveyance of emigrants from ports outside this Colony up to the hour when she leaves, she is brought immediately under the
[418]
* No. 3 of 1873.
c


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Emigration Officer, who has a plain and intelligible course to follow about which no sort of doubt can arise so as to interfere with the operation of the law.
10. In conclusion I have only to add that in place of a comparatively useless law perfunctorily administered, the Colony now possess a clear and stringent enactment, easy of comprehension and sure in its operation, which will, I trust, put a stop to the residents of Hong Kong aiding or profiting by the fitting out in this harbour of any vessel engaged in any kind of Chinese emigration which is not approved of by Her Majestys Government.
I have, &c.
(Signed) A. E. KENNEDY.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1L
Report by the Harbour Master of Hong Kong.
THE Fatchoy, lately the British steamer Yixen, of London, official number 63,588, of 1081 registered tons, was transferred to the German flag on the 13th April, 1872, at this port.
I have been unable to ascertain who the purchaser was or under what circumstances she became entitled to assume the Spanish flag.
After her last change the master obtained permission to fit his ship for the conveyance of emigrants.
The only fittings approved in any vessels fitting at Hong Kong, whether to embark their passengers here or elsewhere, are sleeping berths, hospital, ventilators, cooking-places, and such like.
The Fatchoy probably fitted her gratings and barricades at this port as stated, but they could not have been fixed here as a permanency, or they must have been seen by th officers of this Department at their visits. Such fittings are made in pieces of iron framework, the height of the between decks, and from seven to nine feet in width ; they are fitted at their top and bottom with nuts and screw bolts to admit of their being readily put up and taken down.
The only effectual means of ascertaining if these objectionable gratings, &c., are being fixed, would be by keeping men stationed on board for this special purpose ; but even then, the existing state of the law would not prevent measurements being taken, and the gratings, &c.,'being made here, and afterwards conveyed to Macao, either in the ship or by means of junks.
With regard to vessels already fitted, it is known, from the information of the carpenter of a Peruvian coolie ship lately returned from Callao, that her gratings and bulkheads were removed before coming into Hong Kong waters and put below', until again required at Macao, when they were to be replaced.
This system of taking down their fittings is confirmed by the boarding officer of the Department.
With regard to the allusion in this despatch to Section 27 of Ordinance 1 of 1862, the following case was recently tried here, with the view of seeing how far that part of the Section, referring to the approval of the Harbour Master in the fitting of emigrant ships, could be enforced :
The French steam-ship Charles Albert was fitting for the conveyance of coolies from Macao to Havana. The master received directions not to take on board, nor to fit gratings or barricades whilst his ship was in Hong Kong waters. This vessel was visited by the Captain Superintendent of Police and myself, when no objectionable fittings were found on board. The following day it was reported that gratings and barricades were being fitted on board the Charles Albert.
A summons for breach of Section 27 of Ordinance 1 of 1862 was issued against the master, who was fined 500 dollars, or three months imprisonment. This sentence was, on appeal to Supreme Court, sent back for amendment, an opinion having been expressed by the Honourable the Attorney-General that the master could not be punished for the offence under Section 27, but that he might be punished for disobedience of orders under Section 10. On this opinion the fine was reduced to 200 dollars, or one months imprisonment.
I call his Excellencys attention to this case, as, until advised, I did not consider the words in section 10 or obey any other order which the Harbour Master may think fit to give, as applying to convictions under section 27 of Ordinance 1 of 1862.
(Signed) H. G. THOMSETT, Harbour Master, fyc.
Hong Kong, April 9, 1873.


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Inclosure 4 in No. 11.
Mr. Frensberg to Mr. Thomsett.
Imperial German Consulate, Hong Kong, Sir, April 14, 1873.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th April, by which you put several questions to me, regarding the transfer of the German steamer Fatchoy from her German owners to a Spanish subject. With reference to these questions, I beg to inform you that the steamer Fatchoy, late Vixen, was sold to the German firm Paul Ehlers and Co., at Hong Kong. Messrs. Paul Ehlers and Co. sold the steamer to Mr. Francisco Abella on the 30th July, 1872. This fact has been made known to you by letter from the then German Consul, M. Eimbcke, dated the 31st July, 1872, of which I beg to inclose a copy for your information, should the original letter not have reached you. According to a communication of Messrs. Paul Ehlers and Co., the deed of transfer has been deposited with the Spanish Consulate at Hong Kong.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CH. FRENSBERG.
Inclosure 5 in No. 11.
Mr. Eimbcke to Mr. Thomsett.
Sir, Hong Kong, July 31, 1873.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that the German steamer Fatchoy, now in this harbour, has been sold to a Spanish subject. She is therefore no longer entitled to wear the German colours, and has ceased to be German property.
I have, &c.
(Signed) EIMBCKE,
Consul for the German Empire.
Inclosure 6 in No. 11.
Extract from the China Mail of April 10, 1873.
The Fatchoy Revelations.
To the Editor of the China Mail."
Sir, Hong Kong, April 10, 173.
REFERRING to the article which appears in your issue of 9th instant, headed the c Fatchoy Revelations, we thank you for your promise to publish any rebutting statements we may forward bearing on the assertions made by you or others equally badly informed. We take the liberty to trouble you with the publishing of this letter.
We received this morning the following letter from the late American chief Engineer of the steamer Fatchoy, which we have his permission to publish:
In answer to your inquiry, I beg to state that I never wrote any article relative to the vovage)of the steamer Fatchoy to Havana, nor have I ever been interviewed by any editor or reporter of any newspaper whatsoever respecting the said voyage, and the only statement I ever made upon the voyage I made to the Consul-General at Havana. Many of the statements made upon the subject under question, in the China Mail and other newspapers, are incorrect. Please note that I do not wish to have any further correspondence upon this matter or to give any further information relative to the subject.
We take it for granted that you were allowed to publish the ex parte statements from official documents as we read them in your issue of the 9th instant, and we hope that we are allowed to rebut such statements as far as we have proof for the assertions we now make.
To say that the steamer Fatchoy, or her crew, has been employed in kidnapping coolies is too absurd a statement to merit any attention whatever; it is tantamount to asserting that the captain kidnapped a few coolies in Queens Road or on the Praya and concealed them in his waistcoat-pocket. 1,005 emigrants and 2 cabin-boys left by the Fatchoyall their contracts were countersigned by the Spanish Consul at Macao.
[418] D


As regards the conclusion cope tp by tj}§ AlBprican Consul-General, that the Fatehoy had been really engaged in slave-trading, he is certainly right, if the emigration from Macao to Havana is, by %e dictum of this mighty personage, henceforth to he called slave-trading.
Relative to the German ownership, the respective Consuls might have taken the trouble to inquire at the Registry at Havana, the Fatehoy being registered at that port. The Fatehoy, formerly Vixen) was bought by us at Hong Kong in April 1872, not July 1872; we sold her in July 1872, and her present owner put her under the Spanish flag, in his name she is registered at Havana. The bill of sale lies open for inspection at the Spanish Consulate.
The Fatehoy was certainly fitted up as an emigrant ship in' the harbour of Hong Kong, and Mr. Sampson, of the Harbour-Masters, came on board every day to see that no iron gratings were fitted on the hatches, and that no barricades were erected. The coolies from the Rosita y Nina were certainly transferred to the Fatehoy, when she had only about 150 emigrants on board.
That your statements are vouched for as facts by two Consuls-General as sworn evidence is a simple error; the chief engineer told us this morning that he never swore to anything before the Consul-General at Havana, but that he simply told his tale in a conversational manner.
There is no doubt but that the American Consul-General drew largely upon his imagination if his statements of facts really are what you represent them to be. We repeat that your statement that the coolies were during the yoyage flogged, kicked, cuffed and treated with the greatest inhumanity, is incorrect, and for this we have now likewise the authority of the chief engineer himself.
That all the crew understood English is not true; only the minority understood it, and partly very imperfectly too, There were on hoard the captain, the sailing master, the passenger, the chief engineer, two Chinese sergeants (emigrants who had already been once as coolies to Havana), one interpreter, and five Manila men, who spoke Spanish fluently.
It is refreshing to hear that Her Majestys Ambassador at Berlin has been requested to bring th,e matter to the notice of the Berlin Government, because, if any notice is taken of these1 representations at all, they are not likely to overshoot the mark, and as the investigation into the matter has now been taken up by the respective Governments, and as we shall be perfectly willing to give them all the information that lies in our power, if they will but ask for it, so we think you may set your mind at rest. As the Fatehoy has been lying over a month in the harbour of Liverpool, after having been to New Orleans, in the United States of America, represented by the Consul-General at Havana, having all the time the same captain and the same English engineers on board, and, as far as we know, without being in any way molested and without any inquiries having been made, so we can only presume that the respective Home Governments ultimately came to the conclusion that the Fatehoy is not a slaver, and that the report of fiendish outrages said to have been committed on board of her rests upon the same foundation and authority as the report said to have been written, by an officer of the Fatehoy, the late American chief engineer, your trump-card!
Your own remarks and comments we may be allowed to pass over in silence, because we already clearly proved that you represent as fact that which is no fact at all, and as notwithstanding Our denial you apparently still adhere to your version of the story and as you refuse to accept the information which we offered to give you, consequently show no desire to learn the truth, so we must leave' you to the admiration of those who find pleasure in perusing your splendid literary efforts.
We remain, &c.
(Signed) PAUL EHLERS AND Co.,
Agents of the Spanish steamer Fatehoy
Inclosure 7 in No. li.
Governor Sir A. Kennedy to the Earl of Kimberley.
My Lord, Government House, Hong Kong, May 2, 1873.
REFERRING to my despatch of 25th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit copy of a report from the Harbour Master relating to the return of the Fatehoy to this port from Liverpool.


ii
Your Lordship vrill observe that, in Face of recent legislation,* that vessel did not drop anchor in this harbour, but proceeded at once to Macao.
I have,'&c.
(Signed) A. E. KENNEDY.'
Inclosure 8 in No. 11.
Mr. Thomsett to Mr. Smith.
Sir, Harbour Department, Hong Kong, May 1, 1873.
I HAVE the honour to report that the Spanish steamer Fatchoy arrived here this day at 11 a.m. She was immediately boarded by Mr. Sampson, the Boarding Officer.
The Fatchoy is from Liverpool, which port she left on the llth March. Mr. Menser is a passenger by her. She has a coal cargo, the greater portion of which has been consumed on the voyage.
Mr. Sampson reports that he saw iron barricades and gratings lying on the between decks.
Mr. Ehlers, of the firm of Paul, Ehlers and Go., wept on board. The vessel did not anchor, as Mr. Ehlers gave the master orders to proceed to Macao.
There was not time for me to proceed on board for the purpose of searching for the barricades, &c., as directed, as when the report of her arrival reached me, she was on her way out of our jurisdiction.
I have &c.
(Signed) H. G. THOMSETT, Harbour-Master, etc.


Correspondence respecting the Macao Coolie Trade, and the Steamer Fatchoy.
Presented to the House of Commons by Command of Her Majesty, in pursuance of their Address dated June 16, 1873.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY HARRISON AND SONS.

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CORRESPONDENCERESPECTING J THEMACAO.COOLIE AND TRETRADE,STEAMER" F ATCHOY."Presented tothe House ofCommonsbyCommandofHerMajesty,inpursuanceoJtheir AddressofJune16,1873.LONDON, PRINTEDBY HARRISON A NDSONS. l b.-797 .JPrice 2d .

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1l0. 1.Mr.HollandtoMr. Hammond Two Inclosures .2 .Viscount EnfieldtoMr.Honand3.Mr.WadetoEarl Granville One Inclosure <4. ConsulDunloptoEarlGranville TwoInclosures .5.Mr.Hammond toMr. Holland 6.EarlGranville toLord OdoRussell7.Mr.HammondtoMr Honand8.Mr. Herbert toMr.Hammond 9 .EarlGranville toSirC .Murray10.LordOdoRuss.ento BarlGl'lInYine 11.Mr.Holl.ndtoMr. HammondEightInelcsures LIST OFPAPERS.Page November9,18721.November16,--2 November2,--2December24,--3"January24,18735January30,--5January30,--5February14,--5February27,--6March6,--6June21,--6

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RETURNtoan Addre oftileHonourabletheHouseofCommons datedJune 16, 18i3 : flr-"Copies orExtractsof Correspondence betweentheForeign Office and HerMajesty's Representatives LisbonandPeking,HerMajesty's Consuls in China,andtheColonialOffice, relative totheMacao 0001ie Trade(in conti nuation ofParliamentaryPaper,C.504,ofSession1872):"OftheDespatch oftheForeignOfficetoHerMajesty's AmbassadoratBerlinregardingthesteamer (thepropertyofGermanownersatHongKong) engaged inthesaidtraffic : ."And,oftheLetterofHerMajesty :s Consul. GeneralattheHavana,dated the 24th dayofDecember,1872,anditsinclosures," No .I.Mr HollandtoMr. Hammond.-(Received November11.)Sir,.Downing Btreet,November9,1872. I AMdesiredtotransmittoyouacopyofadespatchwhichLordKimberley proposes,withtheconcurrenceofLordGranville,toaddresstotheGovernorofHong Kong,bringingtoSirArthurKennedy'snoticethereports that foreignvesselsengaged intheshipmentofcooliesfromMacaoareequippedintheportofHongKong .Iam,&c (Signed)H T HOLLAND Inclosure1inNo.1.TheEarlofKimberleytoGovernorS ir A.Kennedy .Sir,DowningSt reet, November9 1872 . IThasatdifferenttimesbeenrepresentedtome that foreignvesselsengagedinthe shipmentofcooliesfromMacaoareequ ipped intheportofHongKong,orfurnished withsuppliesorstoresfromthatColony andmyattentionhasrecentlybeendirectedto thefollowingparagraphextractedfromaHongKongnewspaper : TheSpanishsteamer t BuenoVentura,'asisterto,and belonging tothesameowner as thesteamship YruracBat,'wh ich vesselfitteduphereandleftafewdaysbackfor Macao,foracargoofcoolies,hasarrivedheretofitupforthesamepurpose,"2 Youareprobablyaware that duringthelateSessionofParliamentanAct(three copiesofwh ichIinclose) waspassedforthepurposeofrepressingtheabusesconnected withth e movementofnativesfromtheirislandsinthePacificOceantolabouron plantations.3.Althoughgreatcrueltieshavebeenperpetratedinconnectionwiththistrafficin SouthSeaislanders,theycanhardlyhavebeengreaterthanthosewhichhaveledtothe disgraceful andhorribleoccurrencesfromtimetotimereportedashavingplaceonboard shipsconveyingChinesecooliesfromMacao.4.HerMajesty 's Government whichhasbeenunderthe necessity ofmakingrepeated remonstrancestothePortugueseGovernmentonthesubjectoftheMacaocoolietrade, cannotpermit that thereshouldbeeventheshadowofajustificationforanysuchimputa tionas that BritishsubjectsinHongKongpartakein,andprofitby, a trafficwhichthe Queen'sGovernmentdeploresandprotestsagainst AndIseenoreasonwhyBritish subjectsresidentinHongKongshouldnotaswellas those inAustralasiabesubjectedto thepunishmentprescribedinSection9ofthe"KidnappingAct,1872,"fortheoffencesspecified i n that section ,ifcommittedwithintheterritorialjurisdictionoftheColony.5.Irequestyoutogiveparticularattentiontothe"KidnappingAct 1872 ," andto considerwhether s omeofitsprovisionsmightnotwiththenecessaryalterationsbemade applicabletoHongKong.Ifyouareofopinion that they m ight be ,Irequestyouto transmittome,assoonaspossible,thedraftofanOrdinancefor that purpose. [418] B2

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Ihave,&c. (Signed)THOMAS FRANCIS WADE. AsChiefJusticeSmalehasgivenmuchattentiontoth is questionIrequestyouto givehimacopyofthisde spatch, andoftheActinclosedinit,andtointimatetohimthatIshallb e gladtoreceivefromhim throughyou,anyohservationsorsuggestions whichhemaywishtooffe r eitherinconjunctionorafterconsultationwiththeAttorney Generalandyourself,orseparately. YouwillalsolaythisdespatchbeforetheLegislativeCouncil Ihave,&c. (Signed)KIMBERLEY. Inclosure2inNo.I .35&36 VICT.-CHAPTIIR 19 .AnActforthePreventionandPunishmentofCriminalOutragesuponNativesoftheIslands inthePacificOcean.-[27thJune,1872.J No.2.ViscountEnfieldtoMr.Holland .Sir ,ForeignOffice,November16,1872. IAMdirectedbyEarlGranvilletorequestthatyouwill i nformtheEarlofKimberley thatEarlGranvilleconcursintheproposedinstructiontotheGovernorofHongKong, whichwasinclosedinyourletterofthe9thinstant,relativetothereportedequipment atHongKongofforeignvesselsengagedintheshipmentofcooliesfromMacao.. Iam,&c. (S igned) ENFIELD. No.3.Mr.WadetoEarl Granville.-(Received JanuaryII,1873 .) MyLord ,Peking,November2,1872 IHAVEthehonourtoincloseanextractfromaninterestingnoteIhavereceived fromSirBrookeRobertson.TheChineseGovernmentisdoingsomethingtostopthe SlaveTradeatMacao,butasusualitsactionforgoodisgreatlyhinderedbyitsincurable corruptions. InclosureinNo.3.Consul S ir D.Robertsonto Mr Wade.(Extract.)HongKong.October5,1872. I FOUND theMacaobarracoonsweresuppliedchieflyfromCantonandthe kidnappedwereshipped aspassengersbythedailysteamers, .so, incommun ication wi th the Vi ceroy, WiyunesorWeiyuenswereappointedtoboardthesevesselseverymorningand pickoutthepr isoners, forsuchtheyreallyare.IwrotetotheSecretaryoftheCompany at HongKongthatthiswouldbedone andtoinstructthemastersnottomakeany opposition Ihavehadsometroublewiththesegentlemen(themasters),hutagreat manyhavebeenremoved.

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3 No.4 ConsulDunloptoEarlGranville.-(ReceivedJanuary20,1873.) My Lord,Ha vana, December24 1872. IHAVEthe honour to transmit herewithtoyourLordship,thecopyofa statement madetotheAmericanConsul-Generalhere,regardingarecentvoyageofasteamer nominallyundertheSpanishflag,calledthe"Fatchoy, employedinbringingChinese cooliesfromMacaotoCuba. Thisdeclarationwasmadebyoneofthemenemployedintheengine-roomofthe steamer,whohasnowlefther .TheAmericanConsul-Generalgivesimplicitcredencetothe statement whichhehas officially reportedtohisGovernment. .Itwouldappearfromthisevidence thatthe"Fatchoy" isreallyengagedinslave trading,withtheknowledgeandconcurrenceofherGermanownersatHong Kong. TheChinese,onarrivalhere,areimmediately "contracted" orsoldtotheplanters (as IhavealreadyexplainedtoyourLordship),andareasmuch slaves"asthenegro bondmen throughout Cuba.Thiswillbe their realcondition solongasnegro-slaveryin anyshape,existshere Iaskleavetosubjoinanoticeofthevoyageofthe"Fatchoy," latelypublishedinan American paper. Ihave,&c. (Signed)A.GRAHAMDUNLOP.Inclosure1inNo.4.Extract fromanAmericanNewspaper .CHINESElabourers continuetoarrive Thesteamer"Fatchoy" brought over900 ofthis unfortunate people,andofficialnotice has beenpublishedoftheexpectedarrivalof the JruracBat"withthesamenumber.OthervesselsnowinChinaareengagedin thesametraffic,whichyieldsanimmenseprofittoshipownersandallengagedinit.A passengerofthe"Fatchoy" basinformed your correspondentthatthevesselwentfrom point topointkidnapping Chinese; others wereinveigledonboardbyspeculatorsor "vagabonds," astheyarecalledthere whoreceived30dollarsforeachoneoftheirvictims. Assoonastheyarriveonboardtheyarestowedawaybelowinironsuntilthefullcomple mentwasreceived,whichwastentimesthenumberthecapac ity ofthevesselallowed Thehorrorsofthetrafficandthevoyageofthe"Fatchoyc an easilybeimagined. Three mutiniesandan attempt toburnthesteamertookplaceduringthevoyage ThecrewandallhandsonsuchoccasionsfiredintotheChines e andadoptedothersevere measures,suchashardknocksandscaldingwater,untilthe tumults werequelled. Thelossonthevoyageofthe Fatchoy"onthisaccountanddeathsfroms ickness andsufferingwasovereightyChinese. Inclosure2inNo.4.Declaration.(Extraot .)THEsteamer"Fatchoy ," formerly"Vixen"(British),wassoldatHongKonginJuly1872 andplacedundertheGerman fl ag 'I'hepurchasers Messrs.PaulEblers andCo.,hadherthenputundertheSpanishflagbynominaltransfertoaSpaniard.She wasthenfitted-outatHongHongwithirongrat ing onthe hatches, androundthehatches, andillthebetweendecks,andatthesideports,ironbarricadeswerealsofittedoutin deck. After thisworkhadbeendone shet ook inwat er andcoalandproceeded.onthelstoflastAugust,toMacao. Onoraboutthe15thof August shecommencedloadingcoolies ; theyweresentoff inlots,threetimesaweek,generallyonTuesd ays, Thursdays, andSaturdays,sometimes from40to HiO inalot,butseldomabove50 Thecooliesareneverconsideredtobe finallysecureduntiltheyareonceonboard,thentheircasebecomesoneofdesolationand despair. While.. Fatchoy" waslyingatMacao,thesteamer .. Rosetad 'Nina," whichhad beend ispatched somesixweekspreviously, returned toMacaoindistress,andhercargo

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4 of700coolieswastransferredtothe"Fatchoy;"thesecoolieswereinasadstate,many ofthemhadbeencruellyfloggedandotherwiseill-usedonboardthe Roseta d'Nina." Withthislargeaccession,thecargowassooncompletedtothenumberof1,005coolie s. Everyone ofthesemengav e indications that thevilestdeceptionhadbeenpractised uponthem,andoncehaving "realized the utter hopelessness oftheirs ituation, gave themselvesuptofranticdespair.Somewouldthrowthemselvesoverboardwheneveran opP ,ortunity offered buttwoboatswereconstantlyalongsidetopickthemupandreturn theinonboard . The pricepaidthe "coolie-catchers," astheyarecalled,is50dollarsperhead (delivered atthebarracoons),buttheamountisnotpaidoveruntilthecoolieis011board ship.Thusthe"catcher"or"kidnapper,"insuresthedeliveryofthecoolie althoughhe issentoffintheship'sboats .The"Fatchoy"leftMacaoonthe26thAugust,withthe1 ,005 cooliesonboard ; all wentwelluntilthefourthdayout Onthisday atabout3P .M.,acryof "Mutiny forward"wasraised.Thecoolieshadattackedthe guards; oneoftheguardswentoverboard, probablythrownoverbythecoolies;theotherguardtooktotherigging Thecooliesbad madearushtotheChinese "galley (forcooking),probablytotrytogetknivesor weapons.Themate and secondmate,fromthebridge,shotintothecrowdandwounded threeofthecoolies.Thischeckedthemutiny Theofficersthenrallied,andsucceeded incatchinganumberofthecooliesandtyingthembytheirlonghairtotheiron barricade,"ortotheirongratings,anddrivingtherestbelow About150wereput inirons. ThenextmorningtheSpanishcaptainhadthembroughtup.Somebagsofricewere placedondeckandtheprisonerswerelaidacrossthebags thenunm ercifully floggedand beatenbytwomenkeepingtimewiththeirwhipsorsticks.Inashorttimethedeckwas coveredwithblood. Aseachcooliewasflogged, hewaswashedwithsaltandwaterand sentbelow. WearrivedatAnger,Batavia,onthe9thSeptember,remainedther e twodays and thenceproceededtotheMauritius,andtheretookinwaterandcoal,thesh ip remainingin quarantine.FromtheMauritiuswewenttotheCapeofGoodHope.Inallthese portsthecoolieswerekeptbelow;andwhilecoalingwasgoingon thehatcheswereput on, andthe"hospital" bulkheadsforthesickwereclosed.Theheatwasintolerableeven intheopenair Thevoyageforthecoolieswasoneofthemostunimaginablesufferings:theywere struck,kicked,flogged,andotherwisetreatedwithtbegreatestbrutality.Thefilthand stenchwassomethinghorrible.Thehospitalswerenotcleanedduringthewholevoyage 1oftenturnedawaymyeyeswhenIwitnessedsuchdreadfulscenes.Iventuretosay that intheannalsoftheAfricanSlaveTradeallthehorrorsofthe"middlepassage never surpassedthoseofthisChinaslave-ship, Thedeathsonthisdirefulandmurderousvoyagereachedeighty,orabout8percent. ofthenumbertakenonboardatMacao.The ir deathswere doubtless,causedbythe blowstheyreceived,bygeneral ill-usage, andbythefilthyconditionoftheship WereachedHavanainduetime andwerenotputintoquarantine,butproceededat oncetodischargeourcargooflivefreight .Thesteamer"Fatchoy" is,toallintentsandpurposes Germanproperty Shehas beeninsomewaycharteredtotheHavanaCoolieImportingSocietyfortwotrips,one ofwhichisnow fulfilled. Therewasonboardamanstyled,insailorparlance, a"papercaptain."Heappeared tobetheagentoftheownersofthecoolies,orsomething likel asupercargo Hehad fullcontrolofthecoolies,superintendingthebeatingsandotherpunishmentsinflictedon thecooliesthroughoutthevoyage.Amoremercilessruffianneverlived. Theother"captain"isaGerman.Ontheship 's p apers heis styled" sailing-master." Thefirst,second,andthirdmates,andthecarpenter,areallGermans.Thechief engineerisanAmerican;theothersEnglish Scot ch, andIrish.Thecrewcomprised ofseveralnations,butallofthemunderstandingEnglish,Therewereonlytwoorthree onboardwhospokeSpanish. TheofficersalwaysspokeEnglishorGerman. Havana;December18,1872.

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;No.6-Mr.HalmIlOlIdtoMr.Halland.Sir, ForeignOffice,January24 1873 IAM directed byHerMajesty's Secretary of State to transmit toyou,to lie laid beforetheEarl ofKimberley, a copyof a despatehfromMr.Wade,inclosingan extract of a letter fromSirB. Robertson respectingtheemigration ofcooliesfromMacao." Iam,&c (Signed)E. HAMMOND.No.6.Earl Granville to LordOdo Russell MyLord, . ., Fore i gnOffice January30,1873 ITRANSMITherewithcopiesofadespatchandofitsinclosurefromHerMajesty'sConsul-GeneralatHavana relativetotheproceedingsofa steamer namedthe"Fatehoy, said tobeaGermanvessel jrandIhavetorequestthatyourExcellencywillbringthismattertotheknowledgeofthe German Government Iam &c. (Signed) GRANVILLE.No.7. Mr. Hammond to Mr. Holland .Sir, . ForeignOffice,January30, lR7o. IAMdirected by Earf Granvilleto transmit to )'ou fortheinformationof the Earl or Kim berley, cop ies ofadespatchandofits inclosures fromHerMajesty's Consul-GeneralatHavana, relativetotheproceedingsofavesselnamedthe"Fatchoy/'saidtobe German in kidnapping ChinesecooliesfOlsalein Cuba.ir HerMajesty's Ambassador atBerlinhasbeenrequestedtobr ing themattertothe noticeofthe German Government. lam,8r:e. (Signed) Eo HAMMOND .No.8.Mr.HerberttoM1 '.Hamirwnd.-(Received February15 .) Sir DowningStreet February14,1873. IAMdirectedbythe Earl ofKimberleytoacknowledgeyour letter ofthe30thultimo relativetotheproceedingsofa vesselnamedthe"Fatchoy ," saidtobeGerman; in kidnapping ChinesecooliesforsaleinCuba Asthisshipis stated tohavesailedfrOIDMacao,LordKimb erley presumesthatLordGranvillewillbringt he substanceofMr .Dunlop's desp atch tothenoticeofthe Portugu ese Government aswellastothenoticeoftheGermanGov ernment, Lo rd Kimberl ey hasalready instructed theGovernorofHongKong inadespatch,a copyofwhichwas transmitted inlOy letter toy ou ofthe9thofNovember,to passan Ordinance toprev ent anyshipsbeingfittedoutinthatColony asitappearswasthecase withthe"Fatcboy," tocarr y c oolies fromChinatoanyportnotinHerMajesty's dominions ButunlesstheChinese authorities enforce It similarproh ibition at Whampoa, LordKimberleyfear sthatitisnotprohablethatanyseriousimpedimentwillbeputinthe wayofthedispatchoftheseships. Iam &c. (Sign ed) ROBERT G.W, HERBERT. N o.3 .tNo.4.

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6No.9. EarlGranville toSirC.Murray.Sir,ForeignOffice,February27 1873.WITHreferencetomydespatchtoMr.Doria,ofthe22ndAugustlast,andtopreviouscorrespondencerespectingtheshipmentofChinesecooliesatMacao,Itransmit toyouherewitha copy ofadespatchfromHerMajesty'sConsul-GeneralattheHavana, inclosingastatementrelativetothevoyageofthesteamer"Fatchoy"withcooliesfrom MacaototheHavana ." Incommunicatingthis despatch tothePortugueseMinisterforForeignAffairs,youwillinformhisExcellencythattheGovernorofHongKonghasbeeninstructedtopassan OrdinancetopreventanyshipsbeingfittedoutinthatColonytocarrycooliesfromChina toanyportnot in HerMajesty'sdominions;andalsothatHerMajesty'sAmbassadorat Berlinhasbeeninstructedtobringthecaseofthe "Fatchoy" tothenoticeofthe GermanGovernment. I am,&c. (Signed) GRANVILLE. No 10.LordOdoRussellto Earl Granville.-(Received March10.)Ihave,&c. (Signed)ODORUSSELL. MyLord,Berlin,March6,1873. IHAVEbroughtthefactsrelativetotheproceedingsofasteamernamedthe"Fatchoy,"saidtobeaGermanvessel,totheknowledgeofHerrvonBalan,inobedience toyourLordship 's instructionsofthe 30th January. No.11.Mr.HollandtoMr. Hammond.-(Received June23.)1am,&c (Signed)H T.HOLLAND. Sir,DowningStreet,June21,1873.WITHreferencetothe letter fromthisDepartmentofthe16thFebruary,Iam directedbytheEarlofKimberleytotransmittoyou,fortheinformationofEarl Granville,cop ies oftheaccompanyingdespatchesrespectingthevessel "Fatchoy," whichisengagedintheMacaocoolietrade.Lord Kimberley presumesthatthesepaperswillbeaddedtothoseabouttobelaidbefore Parliament incompliancewithSirC. Wingfield'smotionofthe16thofJune. InclosureIinNo.11.Th e Earl ojKimberleytoSirA Kennedy .Sir ,Do wning Street Februal'Y13 1873 I TRANSMIT toyouacopyofaletterf rom theForeignOffice inclosingadespat ch fromHerMajesty'sConsul-GeneralatHavanarelativetotheproceedingsofavessel namedthe "Fatchoy," andwhichissaidtobeGerman inkidnappingChinesecooliesfor saleinCuba. This vesselisstatedtoh ave beens old inJulylast inHongKong toMessrs Paul. EhlersandCo ., andtohavebeenfittedoutther e with iron g ratingsonthehatches,and roundtheh atches inthebetweendecks,andatthesid e ports ,"a ndalsotohavehadiron barr icades fittedonthede ck. Igr eatly regr et to r eceivethisofficialcorroborationoftheallegationwhichhasbeen rep eatedly mad e, thatpersonsresidinginHongKongareprofitablyconnectedwithatraffic..No.4 .

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7whichhasbeenproductiveofthemostdisgracefulabuses,andwhichHerMajesty's Governmenthavebeenmostdesiroustoseeabolished ; andIwishtobeinformedwhether thosewhofittedoutthisv essel wereBritishsubj ects, andwhetherthefittingsoutwere /lpproved bytheHarbourMa ster, undersection 27 oftheOrdinanceNo.1of1862. Ihave,& c. (Signed)KIMBERLEY. Inclosure2inNo.11 Go vernor SirA. tothe Eu:rl ofKimberley. My Lord,Government House, HongKong,April25,1873 IHAVEthehonourtoacknowledgeyourLordship'sdespatchofthe13th February regardingtheemigrantship ".Fatchoy," whichleftMacaowithalarge numberofcooliesforHavanaafterpartlyfittingoutin t hisharbour. 2 Thestatementswhichformedinclosurestothisdespatcharefullycorroboratedby sworn testimonytakeninthisColony As,however,thedocumentsalreadyinthe ColonialOfficecontainthesameinformationwhichIhavegatheredhere,Idonotthinkit necessaryatpresenttotransmititto your Lordship 3.Ihave,however toreportinreplytotheinquir ies whichthedespatchcontains that,althoughthe"Fatchoy"waspurchasedbyaGermanfirm,Messrs.PaulEhlers andCo.,shewaspriortoherleavingthisharboursoldtoMr.Abella,aSpanishsubject, andsheworetheSpanishcolours 4.Nevertheless,itisquitecertainMessrs.Paul,EhlersandCo.didnotgiveup entirelytheirinterestinthevessel,inasmuchasoneofthepartnersofthatfirm Mr.C.R.Menser,sailedinherassupercargo,andplayedaveryprominentpart, accordingtotheinformationat hand, illwhatwentonduringthevoyage. 5.Ofth is firmIamunabletogiveyourLordshipmanyparticulars.Mr.PaulEhlers istheres ident headofthebusiness,andhesignshimselfas attorney forMr.Abella. Therecan,Ithink,benoreasonabledoubt that the"Fatchoy"wasfittedoutby that firm,andfurther, that sheisunderacontractnotforonebutfortwovoyages The actualfittings,i.e. ,barricades,&c. weremadebyChineseartisans. 6 IhavecalledupontheHarbourMastertostatewhattookplaceinhisjurisdiction whenthe"Fatchoy"wasfittingout,andIincloseacopyof that officer's report.Itis quiteclearthatherfittingsweremadeinHongKong,andtherearegoodreasonsfor concludingthatatanyrate part ofthebarricadeswereactuallyfixedbeforethevesselleft thesewaters 7.Nevertheless itisequallyclearthattheofficersoftheHarbourDepartmentwere onthealertwithaviewtopreventing,asfarastheirlimitedpowerspermitted,thefixing ofobjectionab le gratings.ThestatementofMr.Thomsettis,inthissubject,supportedby theagentsofthesteamerinalettertothe"ChinaMail,"acopyofwhichIinclose;and althoughtheboardingofficerdidnotgoonboardeveryday,yethefrequentlyinspected thevesselinthecourseofhisdutiesinordertoinsuretherequirementsofthelawbeing observed 8.Thereislittleadvantagetobeobta ined fromconcealingthefactthatthelawas itstoodwhenthe"Fatchoy" layinthisharbourwas,toallpracticalintentsandpurposes, adeadletter.Itwasnotwithinanybody'sprovincetostopthegratingsandbarricades frombeingmade.Chineseblacksmithsandcarpenterstookmeasurementsandexecuted theirworkwithoutinfringingthelawoftheColony,andtheHarbourMasterwasleft withoutadequatemeanstopreventbarricadesfrombeingfixed,amattereasyofexecution andwhichcouldbedoneasthevesselwasleavingtheharbour,or,aswenowknow,more .frequentlyatMacao,whitherthearticleswereshippedinjunks,or concealed inthehold ofthecoolieshipwhenclearingfor that port. 9.Happily,allthisisnowatanend,owingtothepassingofanOrdinancewhichI amtbisdaytransmittingtoyourLordship."Publicofficerswillneversatisfactorilyperform whatissupposedtobetheirduty,whenitis acknowledged onallsidesthatthelawthey areattemptingtoenforceisafarce aswasstatedbytheAttorney-Generalyesterday beforetheLegislativeCouncil.Atthepresenthouritis impossible forsuch a caseas that ofthe"Fatchoy"tooccur,sofarasHongKongisconcerned;forfromthetime suchavesselisintendedtobeusedforthe conveyance ofemigrantsfromportsoutside this Colonyuptothehourwhensheleaves,sheisbroughtimmediatelyunderthe [418] No.3of1873.c

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8Emigration Officer,whohas a plainandintelligible course tof ollow about whichnosort of doubt canarisesoasto interfere withthe operation ofth e law 10 .InconclusionIhaveonlytoaddthatinplaceofacomparativelyuselesslaw perfunctorily administered, theColonynowpossessaclearand stringent enactment, easy of comprehension andsureinits operation, whichwill,I trust,putastoptothe residents ofHong Kong aidingorprofitingbythefittingoutinthis harbourofanyvesselengagedinanykindofChineseemigrationwhichisnotapprovedofbyHerMajesty 's Government. Ihave,&c (Signed)A.E.KENNEDY.Inclosure 3inNo.1 L Report bytheHarbourMasterofHongKong .THE"Fatchoy," latelythe Britishsteamer"Vixen,"of London, official number 63,588 ofI081 registered tons,was transferred totheGermanflagonthe 13th April. 1872,at this port,Ihavebeenunabletoascertainwhothe purchaser 'Yas or under what circumstances shebecame entitled toassumetheSpanish flag. After herlastchangethemaster obtainedpermissiontofithisshipfortheconveyance of emigrants . .Theonlyfittings approved inanyvesselsfittingat Hong Kong whether toembark their passengers here orelsewhere,aresleeping berths, hospital, ventilators, cooking places,andsuchlike .The"Fatehoy"probably fittedher gratings andbarricadesatthis port as stated ,buttheycouldnothavebeenfixedhereasa permanency, orthey must havebeenseenby the officersofthis Department at their vis its. Suchfittingsaremadeinpiecesofironframe work,theheight ofthe between decks andfromseventoninefeetinwidth;theyare fittedat their topand bottom with nuts andscrewboltsto admit of their beingreadilyputupand taken down.Theonlyeffectualmeansof ascertainingiftheseobjectionable gratings &c.,arebeing fixed,wouldbeby keeping men stationed onboardforthisspecial purpose;buteven then,the existing state ofthelawwouldnot prevent measurements being taken, andthe gratings, &c.;beingmadehere,andafterwardsconveyedtoMacao either intheshipor bymeansof junks. ,Withregardtovesselsalreadyfitted,itis known, fromtheinformation ofthe carpenter ofa Peruvian coolieshiplately returned fromCallao,thather gratings and bulkheads wereremovedbeforecominginto Hong Kongwatersandputbelow,untilagain requir ed atMacao,when they were to bereplaced Thissystemof taking downtheirfittingsisconfirmedbytheboardingofficeroftheDepartment.Withregardtotheallusionin this despatch toSection27ofOrdinan ce 1of1862,thefollowingcasewas recently triedhere,withtheviewofseeinghowfarthatpartofthe Section,referringtotheapproval oftheHarbour Master inthefittingof emigrant ships, couldbeenforced : -TheFrenchsteam-ship"CharlesAlbert"wasfittingfortheconveyanceofcoolies fromMacaoto Havana. The master receiveddirectionsnottotakeonboard,norto fit gratings or barricades whilsthisshipwasin HongKongwaters.Thisvesselwasvisited bythe Captain Superintendent ofPoliceandmyself whennoobjectionablefittingswere foundonboard Thefollowingdayitwas reportedthatgratings and barr icades were beingfittedonboardthe"Charles Albert."Asummons forbreachofSection27of Ordinance1of1862wasissued against the master, whowasfined500dollars,or three months' imprisonment This sentencewas on appealto Supreme Court, sentbackfor amendment, anopinionhavingbeenexpressedby the Honourable the Attorney-General that the master couldnotbe punished forthe offence under Section27,butthathemightbepunishedfordisobedienceoforders underSection10 Onthisopinionthefinewasreducedto200dollars orone month's imprisonment. IcallhisExcellency's attention tothiscase,as,untiladvised,Ididnotconsiderthe wordsinsection10"orobeyany other orderwhichthe Harbour Master maythinkfitto give," as applying toconvictions under section27of Ordinance1of1862. (Signed)H.G.THOMSETT,HarbourMaster, 8fc. HongKong, April 9,1873 .

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9Inclosure4inNo.11.Mr Frensberg toMr Thomsett. Imperial German Consulate, BongKong,Sir, April 14, 1873. IHAVEthehonourto acknowledge thereceiptofyourl etter ofthe7thApril,by whichyouputseveralquestionstome,regardingthetransferoftheGermansteamer"Fatchoy" from herGermanownerstoaSpanishsubject Withreferencetothesequestions, Ibegtoinformyou that the steamer" Fatchoy,"late"Vixen,"wassoldtotheGermanfirm PaulEhlersandCo.,atHongKong.Messrs PaulEhlersandCo.soldthesteamerto Mr.FranciscoAbellaonthe30thJuly,1872.Thisfacthasbeenmadeknowntoyouby letterfromthethenGermanConsul M Eimbcke,datedthe31stJuly,1872,ofwhichI begtoincloseacopyforyourinformation,shouldtheoriginalletternothavereachedyou. AccordingtoacommunicationofMessrs.PaulEhlersandCo. thedeedoftransferhas been deposited withtheSpanishConsulateatHongKong. Ihave,&c. (Signed)CH.FRENSBERG. Inclosure5inNo.11 .Mr.EimbcketoMr .Thomsett,Sir,HongKong,July31,1873. IHAVEthehonourtoinformyou that theGermansteamer"Fatchoy,"nowinthis harbour,hasbeensoldtoaSpanishsubject.Sheisthereforenolongerentitledtowear theGermancolours,andhasceasedtobeGermanproperty. Ihave,&c. (Signed) EIMBCKE, Consul fortheGermanEmpire.Inclosure6inNo .11.Extractfromthe"ChinaMail"of April 10,1873.THE"FATCHOY"REVELATIONS.TotheEditorofthe" China Mail." Sir, Bong Kong April 10,10'73.REFERRING tothearticlewhichappearsin yOUl' issueof9thinstant,headedthe .. Fatchoy'Revelations ," wethank.youforyourpromisetopublishanyrebuttingstatements wemayforwardbearingontheassertionsmadebyyouorothersequallybadlyinformed. Wetakethelibertytotroubleyouwiththepublishingofthisletter Wereceivedth is morningthe following letterfromthe late Americanchief Engineerofthesteamer"Fatchoy,"whichwehavehispermissiontopublish:-"Inanswertoyourinquiry Ibegtostate that Ineverwroteanyarticlerelativeto the voyageof thesteamer'Fatchoy toH avana, norhaveIeverbeeninterviewedbyany editororreporterofanynewspaperwhatsoeverrespectingthesaidvoyage,andtheonly statementIevermadeupon the voya ge ImadetotheConsul-GeneralatHavana Many ofthestatementsmadeuponthesubjectunderquestion,inthe'ChinaMail'andother newspapers,areincorrect.PleasenotethatIdonotwishtohaveanyfurthercorrespon denceuponthismatterortogiveanyfurtherinformationrelativetothesubject." Wetakeitforgrantedthatyouwereallowedtopublishthe ex partestatements from official documentsaswereadtheminyourissueofthe9thinstant,andwehope that weareallowedtorebutsuchstatementsasfaraswehaveprooffortheassertionswenow make. Tosaythatthesteamer"Fatchoy,"orhercrew,has been employed in kidnapp ingcooliesistooabsurdastatementtomeritanyattentionwhatever;itistantamounttoasserting that thecaptainkidnappedafewcooliesinQueen'sRoadoronthePrayaand conceal ed theminhiswaistcoat-pocket. 1 ,005 emigr ants and2cabin -boys left bythe ..Fatchoy ;" alltheircontractswerecountersi gned by theSpanishConsulatMacao. [418] D

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IQ As regards theconclusion W.Amllrican Consul-General,thatthe"Fatchoy"had been reallyengaged In slave-trading, heis certainly right,ifthe emigration fromMacaoto Havana is,by QfIPishty personage, henceforth tohecalled"slave-trading." Relativetothe German ownership,therespectiveConsuls might havetakenthe trouble toinquireatthe Registry at Havana, the Fatchoy" beingregisteredatthatport .The"Fatchoy,"formerly"Vixen")wasbought byusatHongKonginApril1872,notJuly1872 ;wesoldherinJuly1872,andher present ownerputherundertheSpanishflag,in hisnamesheis registeredatHavana. Thebillofsaleliesopenfor inspection atthe Spanish Consulate. 'The"Fatchoy"was certainly fittedupasan emigrant shipintheharbour ofHongKong, and 1\:Ir. Sampson, ofthe Harbour-Masters, cameonboardeverydaytoseethatno iron gratings werefittedonthe hatches, andthatno barricades wereerected. Thecoolies fromthe"RositayNina"werecertainly transferredtothe"Fatchoy," whenshehadonly about 150 emigrants onboard. ,Thatyourstatements arevouched for asfacts by two Consuls-General assworn evidenceisa simpleerror;thechiefengineertoldus this morningthatheneversworeto anything beforetheConsul-Generalat Havana,butthathesimplytoldhistaleina conversational manner. There isno doubtbutthattheAmerican Consul-General drewlargelyuponhis imagination ifhis statements offactsreallyarewhatyou represent themtobe Werepeatthatyour statementthatthecoolieswereduringtheyoyage "flogged, kicked,cuffedand treated withthe greatest inhumanity," is incorrect, andforthiswehavenowlikewisetheauthority ofthe chief engineerhimself T ,hat allthe understood English isnottrue;onlytheminority understood it, and partly very imperfectly too,Therewereonboardthe captain, thesailingmaster,thepassenger ,thechief engineer,twoChinese sergeants (emigrantswhohad already been once as cooliesto Havana), one interpreter, andfive Manila men whospokeSpanish fluently. Itisrefresh ,ing tQh,ear thatHerMajesty's AmbassadoratBerlinhasheen requested to bri,1}g,of theBerlin because,ifanynoticeistaken ofthese 'representationsatall, they arenotlikelyto overshoot the mark, audastheinvestigation intothe matter hasnowbeentaken' upbytherespective Governments, and aswe be perfect!ywilling t? give allthe thatliesinourpower,if theywillbutaskforIt,sowe think youmaysetyourmindatrest.Asthe "Fatchoy"hasbeenlyingovera D;1pnth intheharbourofLiverpool,afterhavingbeentoNew Orleans,intheUnited States ofAmerica, represented bytheConsul-General at Havana, havingallthetimethesame captainand, thesame English engineers onboard,and,asfar asweknow, without beinginany way molestedand without anyinquiries havingbeen made,sowecanonly presume therespectiveHome Governments ultimately cameto theconclusionthatthe "Fatchoy"isnotaslaver,andthatthereport offiendish outrages saidtohavebeen committed on board ofherrestsuponthesame foundation and authority asthe report saidtohavebeen written, byanofficerof the' Fatchoy,' thelateAmerican chief engineer," your trump-card! ,Yourown remarks and comments wemaybeallowedtopassover insilence, because we already clearly provedthatyou represent asfactthatwhichisnofact atall,andas notwithstanding ourdenialyou apparently stilladhereto your version of thestoryandas yourefuseto accepttheinformation whichweofferedtogiveyou, consequently showno desiretolearnthe truth, sowe must leave youtothe admiration of those whofind pleasure inperusingyoursplendid literary efforts ,Weremain,&c. (Signed), PAULEHLERSANDCo.,AgentsoftheSpanish s teamer Fatcl!oy."Inclosure7inNo.n Govemol' S ir A.KennedytotheEarlof Kimbel'ley. My Lord,REFERRINGtomy despatch copyofa report fromthe Harbour tothisportfromLiverpool. GOVe1'1l1llent Hou se, Hong Kong May 1873. of25thultimo Ihavethehonourto transmit Master relatingtoth e r eturnofthe Fatchoy"

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it Your Lordship will observe that, infaceofrecent legislation,thatvesseldidnotdrop anchorinthis harbour, butproceededatoncetoMacao Ihave '&c. (Signed)A .E KENNEDY : Inclosure 8inNo.11.Mr Thomsettto Mr. Smith.Sir,HarbourDepartment,HongKong,May1,1873 .IHAVEthehonourto reportthattheSpanishsteamer"Fatchoy arrivedherethis dayat11 A.M. ShewasimmediatelyboardedbyMr.Sampson,theBoardingOfficer .The"Fatcboy" isfromLiverpool wbich port sbeleftonthe11thMarch.Mr. Menserisapassengerbyher Shehasacoalcargo,thegreaterportionofwbichhils beenconsumedonthevoyage Mr Sampsonreports that hesawironbarricadesandgratingslyingonthebetween decks. Mr.Eblers,ofthefirmofPaul,EblersandCo wentonboard Thevesseldidnot anchor, asr. Ehlersgavethemaster orders toproceed to Macao Tbere'wasnottimeformetoproceed on boardfor thepurposeofsearchingforthe barricades,&0 ., asdirected aswhentbe reportofherarrivalreachedme,sbewasonher wayoutofour jurisdiction. '.'Ibave,&c. ($igned) H G.THOMSETT,Harbour-Master, Efc.

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CORRESPONDENCErespectingtheMacao CoolieTrade,andtheSteamer "Fatchoy."Presentedto the House of Oommo,,",b9 OommandofHer Majesi!f, inp ........ anoftheirAddrelldat.d JUlie 16,1873.LONDON: PRINrllD BY lIARllI80NAND SONS .