any pretext whatever. A cheerful readiness to obtain redress, when a fair claim to inquiry and redress is put forward, whether by a Chinese under British protection or by a natural-born subject, is quite compatible with every obligation to the Chinese Government, of whose general fairness and equity I have formed a high opinion, and is far more decorous than persistently and publicly discrediting a case that is more than improbable.
The ... essentially ... probable ...
I have the honor to be;
May Lord Duke, Your Grace's most obedient,
humble servant,
Richard Graves MacDonnell Governor.
Prima facie, it will be judged in resolution probable – The Vessel found its way into a forbidden Chinese port – The owner in Hongkong was confiscated. British subject.
The Governor at Hongkong & Compensation were argued that the Legation & Consulate were of the opposite view, which at Canton Court confirmed the confiscation. In substitution for confiscation, a fine of $4000 was levied on the Owner (a Cheung) and was paid.
Here the matter might or ought to have been allowed to rest, but it appears that a paragraph appeared in the China Mail (which paragraph had its origin in the Chamber of Commerce, Hongkong) to the effect that the Authorities at Hongkong had convinced the Consular & H.M.'s Minister at Pekin that their case was untenable – this statement was obviously incorrect. Instead of asking for contradiction, it makes an attempt at inserting a paragraph in contradiction.
"Official notification to the Community of Hongkong" of his point of view ... The whole case from a certain view ... to this proceeding Sir J.H. strongly objects.