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Shanghai 6 Ban stap in StingRing - This telegram was laid before the Executive Council and related to the shipment from Shanghai of prepared opium by the French Steamers. In treats which have taken place in the Supreme Court with regard to prepared opium I have ascertained that Mr Pitman has been employed by the opium Farmer to look after his interests and Engage Connert.
Dr. Pitman being now in the Colony, I sent for him and questioned him about this matter. He proved to my satisfaction by the production of numerous letters, that Presses Ban Stap and Tang King-sing who at that time held the Opium Farm in Saigon and Singapore were introduced to him early in 1878 by Mr. Fremantle a well-known European merchant and the British Consul at Saigon. Mr. Fremantle from the correspondence shown to me had intimate business relations with Mr. Pitman in all kinds of Mercantile Transactions and especially requested Mr Pitman to give his best assistance to Mr Ban stap and his partner Tang King Sing in the obtaining of the Hong Kong opium Farm. Mr. Pitman informs me that in giving his services at the request of the Consul at Saigon to Mr. Ban stap who was about to compete for the Opium Farm, it was understood that he was to be remunerated by being retained as the European agent and Adviser of the Opium Farmer at a fixed salary of $5000 a year for the three years the farm had to run.
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