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a deputy to watch emigration, 40 or 50 000 go abroad in steamers annually and there must be several millions scattered throughout the islands. Their characters differ and it is inevitable that they should include genuine originals, although it would be unjustifiable to treat all those who live abroad as harbouring rebellious designs.
Hong Kong and Macao afford refuges for criminals. When SUN WEN and YANG CHU YUN had absconded to Hong Kong, Your Majesty's servants asked the British Consul to assist in their capture promising a big reward as recompense for their extradition. But the Consul deliberately prevaricated, declaring that by foreign law no one could be given up and asking Your Majesty's servant to declare what penalty they would be sentenced to. Your Majesty's servant replied that it was impossible to fix the sentence before the criminal was put on trial and evidence taken.
Soon after this case that Sun Wen had fled to Macao, and the matter dropped.
Kuangtang has, since the execution of Au Tac-tung and two others on the 7th November, been tranquil and rumours have also ceased. For the past few months nothing has been heard of seditious assemblies in Hong Kong and Macao. Yet revolutions always come when most unexpected and the only other course is to see that the Civil and Military Authorities take precautions as opportunity offers.