last August that Consul Robertson should report for the information of the Secretary of State the treatment subsequently experienced by the west. Largely at the hands of the Chinese Authorities.
In a Despatch (1168) of the 10th last August the Consul reported to the Colonial Secretary that the prisoner "had been examined before the tribunal especially appointed for that purpose, but as he steadily denies the charge of robbery and the Law of the Empire forbids punishment except only on confession, he still lies in prison, and although the Authorities are satisfied of his guilt from the evidence adduced, this rule deprives them of their usual power in such cases of enforcing a declaration of the truth, and so are therefore unable to convict him."
It can scarcely be said that in the instructions framed for my guidance by the Secretary of State the object of the Majesty's Government was simply to prevent a refugee on British soil from being made the victim of any inhuman torture or punishment. It was not intended that a notorious Criminal like Lück-Leang-tee should not merely escape punishment for his atrocious crimes, but that all punishment should be avoided by withholding confession of their guilt to obtain free quarters for life at the expense of the Government when old age had overtaken them.