Note 7 — ABSTRACT OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

The investigation has since been completed, and the Admiralty have acquitted the Company of the charge of overloading the vessels, and of any breach of contract. One principal cause of the vessels being occasionally beyond the time stipulated in the contract, in arriving at Hong Kong, was, that in defining the time in the contract no allowance was made for the north-east monsoon on the passage eastward, as is done for the south-west monsoon on the passage westward. The grievance to the Hong Kong merchants could, however, have been but of trifling importance, as the steamers, even when behind contract time, always arrived so as to afford to the China merchants ample opportunity to answer letters by the return mail. No complaints from China were made prior to the Company extending the terminus of the China Line to Bombay, and thereby coming in competition with the opium clippers in the carrying of that article to Hong Kong.