Office of the Historian

No. 203.
Mr. Daggett to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Legation of the United States,
Honolulu, March 26, 1881. (Received April 16.)
No. 135.]

Sir: In my dispatch of the 15th instant (No. 132) I referred to recent regulations of the Hawaiian Government limiting Chinese immigration to twenty-five in any one vessel, a measure manifestly designed to put an end to a further increase in the Chinese population of these islands. I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of these regulations, as officially published.

On the 9th of April, 1883, the cabinet in council adopted a resolution protesting against, and taking steps to prevent, a further influx of Chinese male laborers to the Hawaiian Islands.

At the solicitation of planters this resolution was rescinded on the 13th of July, 1883, and another adopted in its stead, authorizing an [Page 282] immigration of Chinese laborers to the limit of 600 in any three months. The latter resolution has now given place to regulations restricting such immigration to 25 in any one vessel.

As this limit will not warrant the touching of San Francisco and Hong-Kong steamers at Honolulu, very few Chinese immigrants may be looked for under existing regulations. Under the 600 limit, however, more than 1,000 have arrived during the past two weeks, and as many more are expected.

As these large shipments are plainly in excess of the prescribed limit, it is not improbable that an attempt to land any considerable number more may be resisted by the Government.

Very respectfully, &c.,

ROLLIN M. DAGGETT.
[Inclosure in No. 135.]

foreign office notice.

(By authority.)

Regulations for admission of Chinese immigrant laborers into the Hawaiian Kingdom, made and published under the authority of a resolution of His Majesty in cabinet council, passed on the 13th day of July, 1883.

  • No. 1. From this date permission will he granted to masters of vessels arriving at the port of Honolulu to land Chinese immigrant laborers not exceeding twenty-five in all from any one vessel, that number to be in addition to and exclusive of any Chinese passengers who may hold passports as provided for in regulation No. 2.
  • No. 2. Passports enabling their holders to enter the ports of the Kingdom may be issued from the foreign office, Honolulu, or by His Majesty’s consul-general at Hong-Kong—
    1.
    To any Chinese resident in this Kingdom who may desire to visit any foreign country and return therefrom.
    2.
    To the wives or other female relatives and to the children of Chinese now residing in the Kingdom, or who may be about to emigrate to this country under the provisions of regulation No. 1.
  • No. 3. A fee of $1 shall be charged for each passport issued in pursuance of the foregoing regulation.
  • No. 4. All orders and instructions regulating Chinese immigration to this country heretofore issued from this office are hereby canceled.
WALTER M. GIBSON,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Office,
Honolulu, March 25, 1884.