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That there were no grounds whatever for bringing charges 18 and 19. That there were no grounds whatever for bringing charge 3.
That with regard to charge 6, a long and intimate connection between Mr Caldwell and Ma-chow Wong has been proved, but that there is no proof of any connection by affinity according to Chinese law or custom.
That with regard to charge 7, it is proved that Mr Caldwell has been in the habit, on Ma-chow Wong's unsupported information, of arresting persons; but that there is no evidence as to his confiscating or restoring property.
That as regards charge 8, there is no evidence of any connivances or procurements of Mr Caldwell; but that it is manifest that the Chinese are very averse to give evidence against him,
That as to charge 9, it has been proved, that Mr Caldwell aided in the acceptance of Sze-kai, his former servant, as Bail for Ma-chow Wong; and that Sze-kai had been imprison- ed for debt, for a few days, a short time previously.
That we think it unnecessary to make any other observation regarding charge 10, than that there is no evidence of Mr Caldwell having deceived the Executive Council,
That with reference to charge 11, a partnership with Ma-chow Wong in a lorcha is proved, and in fact admitted by Mr Caldwell; but that there is no evidence as to payments to Mr Caldwell out of the produce of plunder made at sea.
That as to charge 12, there is no evidence whatever.
That of the fact stated in charge 13, of the release of the men upon Mr Caldwell's representation as to their character, there is no doubt whatever; and that it appears incom- prehensible how any person, with Mr Caldwell's knowledge of the Chinese language, and holding the appointment he did, could have been ignorant of the character of the boats in which the men were seized, and that one at least of these men was a notorious pirate, par- ticularly as it is in evidence that Ma-chow Wong was connected with the boats.
That with regard to charge 1, it being only a matter of inference, we find in support such inference that a sum of money was offered by a Chinaman as a mark of gratitude to Mr Caldwell, for being instrumental in the release of a lorcha seized by Pirates, in which the man's father was; but that this money was refused by Mr Caldwell, and on such refusal that it was offered to Mrs Caldwell as a present for the children. A majority, however, of the Commission do not feel satisfied that Mrs Caldwell accepted this money. It has also been proved that a Chinese female named Shaplok, who had been in frequent communication with Mr Caldwell (and is reported, but not proved, to be a sister by Chinese usage of Mrs Caldwell), received from the Foo T'ai pawn-shop the sum of $400, because the sentence on a pawn-broker belonging to the said shop had been mitigated, as was supposed, through her influence, and that she received a further sum of $50 for her personal trouble in the matter. Further, since the commencement of this inquiry, Mr Caldwell has, solely upon the informa- tion conveyed in an anonymous letter that certain property had been stolen, personally and without the assistance of the police, searched a room in the occupation of Assow, the Police Court Interpreter, whom Mr Caldwell knew to be about to give evidence before the Commission. Mr Caldwell, in the opinion of the Commission, acted in this matter injudiciously, to say the least of it. Notwithstanding these facts, coupled with the circumstance of Mr Caldwell's connec- tion with so notorious a character as Ma-chow Wong, it appears to a majority of thie Commission, that, although Mr Caldwell's original appointment as a Justice of the Peace may have been injudicious, they do not necessitate so strong a measure as his removal from
that office.
Finally, we would state that in the course of the inquiry it has come to our knowledge, that previous to the appointment of the Commission, certain papers connected with Ma.chow Wong's trial, and which might have been of service to the Commission, have been destroyed; but it has been clearly proved that their destruction was ordered solely because they encumbered the Chinese Secretary's Office, while it appeared that they were then of no value, and could not be further required.
To His Excellency
te
We have the honour-to-be,
Your Excellency's
Most obedient humble Servants,
SIR JOHN BOWRING, Kt., LL.D.,
Governor of Hongkong,
&c., &c., &c.
CHAS. ST GEO. CLEVERLY, Chairman.
H. TUDOR DAVIES.
GEORGE LYALL.
A. FLETCHER.
JOHN SCARTH.
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