[Untitled], April 24, 1871.

[Untitled]

Most Illustrious Sir: I am directed by his excellency the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your official letter No. 18 of 21st instant, and to state that notwithstanding you have not an exequatur to represent you to the government of this colony, yet, taking into most serious consideration the object mentioned in your correspondence, his excellency has forwarded to the competent authority a copy of your official letter and the certificates of the Portuguese consul in Peru in reference to the last voyages of the ship Dolores Ugarte, for the purpose of an inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the fact you allude to, so as to proceed as it should be.

Although it is not now permitted, according to orders of this government, from this port to ship emigrants in vessels under the republican flag of San Salvador, or of other nations that have no treaty with China, or not being countries to which coolies emigrate, it would be very desirable if you will be so good as to furnish me with any document or declaration that may serve as a legal basis to warrant an inquiry which his excellency has ordered to be instituted, the result of which may enable preventive measures to be taken with respect to the late captain of the aforesaid ship.

It is the rigorous duty of his excellency, according to orders from the government of Portugal, to avoid as much as possible the abuses which are committed upon the Chinese emigrants at this port. His excellency thinks he has done all that has been possible, as far as the authority of this government extends, to put down the abuses in such a trade, complying in this way not only with the orders of his faithful Majesty’s government, but also with the obligations imposed by civilization and humanity.

The manner in which this Chinese emigration is conducted in this city is not generally appreciated, and his excellency would have much pleasure if you in your private character, or any other gentleman of respectability in Hong-Kong, would come and verify with your own eyes how the acts of emigration take place. You would certainly be convinced that in no part of China is this proceeded with more exemplary and so much regularity in objects of such high human interest.

God guard you, sir.