12
133
13
from the colony of half the Native crafts frequenting it. Nevertheless though it must have been known to the Viceroy, that and certainly should have been known to the Vice Roy's such thing as an attempt to search Native Craft, I was left entirely ignorant of the subject, till I pertinently made the inquiry.
16. The Viceroy's proclamation had been named to come into force on the 1st July 1868 and therefore the Order in Council was also framed to come into force from the same date. Nevertheless, to allow time for a fair trial, I supposed, my inquiry as to the proceedings of the Viceroy was deferred till the 28th August and the Viceroy's reply was not received till two days after it was dated (8th September). Consequently, Native crafts had been rigorously searched and disarmed in this colony from the 1st of July till the 10th of August, and many severe penalties had been inflicted on them during 41 days before I was notified of the fact that no similar restrictions were being attempted at Canton.
17. I therefore consider that Mr Robertson's statement in the enclosed despatch, of my necessarily being under a misapprehension in stating that I had been left for weeks in ignorance of