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GENERAL INTERNAL BLEEDING BUT IT WOULD BE IMPROPER, PENDING
THE INQUEST, TO MAKE ANY CATEGORICAL STATEMENT (CERTAINLY TO THE
CHINESE) AS TO THE PRECISE CAUSE OF DEATH.
2. TANG RECEIVED A NORMAL MONTHLY VISIT FROM A RELATIVE WHILE IN
PRISON HOSPITAL ON 17 DECEMBER. HE WAS ALSO VISITED ON 22 DECEMBER
BY A COUSIN IN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL. ON 27TH HIS NEXT-OF-KIN WAS INFORMED AS SOON AS HE WAS JUDGED DANGEROUSLY ILL AND SIMILARLY ON
28TH WHEN HE BECAME CRITICAL AND ON 29TH WHEN HE DIED,
3. THE CASE WAS GIVEN PROMINENT TREATMENT IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS FOR
SEVERAL DAYS, WITH ALLEGATIONS OF NEGLECT AND PERSECUTION BY THE H.K.
AUTHORITIES IN THE CLASSIC STYLE OF CONFRONTATION AND DEMANDS FOR
ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY BY THE BRITISH, AN END TO PERSECUTION,
RELEASE OF ALL CONFRONTATION PRISONERS, AND COMPENSATION FOR THE
FAMILY OF THE DECEASED. THESE DEMANDS WERE REPEATED IN AN OFFENSIVE
LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY AND AT THE FUNERAL WHICH
WAS CONDUCTED ON SATURDAY 3RD. DESPITE THE ATTENDANCE OF LARGE
NUMBERS OF UNION MEMBERS AND OTHERS THE FUNERAL WAS CONDUCTED
WITHOUT DISORDER. SINCE THEN THE GENERAL PRESS COVERAGE HAS BEEN
MINIMAL.
FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO PEKING.
SIR D. TRENCH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
FILES:
H.K.D.
F.EASTERN D.
P.U.S.D.
I.R.D. NEWS D.
MR. VILFORD
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