simply confines himself to making
a statement to the strong Hon. Government in his official
capacity at Consul which he
must have known would
prevent
the
prisoners from giving up
I should therefore be
glad to know Your Excellency's
view
on the case, and whether
you
concur with
me
in thinking that the prisoners should not be given up until the Consul's statement
has been sifted and proved to have been framed under
misapprehensions
I must take the
opportunity of adding that having had
a great deal of business with
His Excellency Liu Kwan Yih the late Governor General at Canton (now the Governor at Foochow) I think Mr. Hewlett must be deceived in thinking the promise given
in 1879, was not kept
I have &c.
(signed) S. Papo Hertslet