1
by the Ava.
(Signed) WM.D.
C s o
9-72.
(True Copy) (sd. 1. Smith.
Acting Colonial Secretary
533
Statement of the Marshal of the Vice Admiralty Court of Hong Kong with regard to the arrest of the Messageries Maritimes S. S. Ava on the 11th May, 1872.
Ava
About three o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday the 4th of May, as I was leaving the Supreme Court House, Mr. Dennys of Mr. Francis' solicitor's office stopped me and said that a Warrant of the Admiralty Court was being prepared to arrest the S. S. Ava. I was rather surprised to hear this as I understood that Messageries Maritimes vessels were exempted from seizure by Treaty