Visitors to the
"
in question has
resulted in a
a grave injustice.
Nevertheless whilst declining
any of
the
details which Your Excellency
views so persistently from one point, I must protest against my silence being interpreted
of
an admission of any portion
of your statement, more especially of the assertion that objections were raised - at least with the knowledge of those
interested in the Prince Albert
by either the Chinese Authorities or the Consul, to the truth of the narrative to which Your
Excellency thinks
fit to
allude
with almost
dubious disbelief. I can
at least
vouch personally for the Consul's having repeatedly told myself
that he had nothing to say
against the truth of Cheong Chow's explanation, but proceeded simply
on the supposition
of the fact of entry into a Treaty Post having rendered the confiscation complete, so
that
any act of
mitigation of such penalty would be grace
On
the part of the Chinese.
All which reasoning has been
since proved by Sir Edmund