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conclusion either that the treaty was no longer in existence, or that the Agents of the result had not been interpreted rightly heretofore, or that they had submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court. As I had some business at Government House I left the Court with a lingering hope that the Queen's Advocate (Mr Wayllar) would direct the Court and that the Warrant would not be issued - I felt it was a very serious matter and that there was certain to be resistance, and that serious results might follow. I expected resistance because the case was a peculiar one.
The vessel was a steamer, the Seamor carrying mails and passengers and before I could get on board she would have had steam up and be on the point of starting, and that consequently the Officers would resist a stoppage of the vessel. I know that the Warrant could not be disobeyed and that they must execute it completely, and make such a seizure of the vessel as to prevent her leaving harbour without release from the Court of Custom.
If there had been a British House in Hongkong...