DEAD AND GONE CHINAMEN.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1089, 15 July 1873, Page 3

DEAD AND GONE CHINAMEN.

An amusing circumstance connected with general average has occurred in China. On the 13th march the German barque Georges, from Honolulu, arrived in Hong Kong. She left Victoria, Vancouver's Island, twelve months ago for that port, laden with, amongst other " sundries," 112 coffins, containing the bodies of defunct Chinamen. She encountered a storm after leaving port, which compelled W to put back. The needful repairs being effected, she again put to sea-, •and this time succeeded in reaching Honolulu, in the vicinity of which she again encountered severe weather, which compelled her to put into that port. At Honolulu she was of course put into quarantine, and it was impossible to land the cargo for a considerable time. It was proposed to throw the coffins overboard, but the Chinese there entered so strong a protest against this that the idea was abandoned. Eventually, the coffins were landed and buried, until the repairs were effected, and on these being finished, they Were exhumed again and re-embarked. Of course ali these puttings back and repairs necessitated an average but it seems that the consignees of the Coffins at Hong Kong could not or would not see why the coffins, the de-« teased inmates of which they pleaded

were only passengers, and therefore not liable to contribute towards general average expenses, should contribute. The captain, on the other hand, contended that passengers usually had tickets; whereas these sundries were deliverable on production of bill of lading, and came under the Status of goods. The matter was finally compromised by the consignees paying towards the general average 500 dols. to obtain the remains of their friends. It Would defy the 'cleverest and most 'experienced aVerage adjuster to arrive at the net market value of dead Chinamen. The humor of that heathen Chinee in describing the defunct dessicaled Celestials as suu-dries is too palpable to be commented on.