The police stationed on the island had the authority to shoot and kill the escaped labourers. This shrank the numberof Chinese labourers and the labour shortage in the mines became more acute. The rulers began to panic.

• 岛上警察都有权开枪打死他们，这使“猪崽”的来源越来越紧张，矿山劳力紧缺，使统治者恐慌。