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banishment was out against SUN, and that no unusual amount of money had lately been remitted from Honolulu to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. The latter assurance was however contradicted on March 17th when I received a further report from a Hong Kong detective that T'ENG SAN-CHENG, SUN's supposed lieutenant had last autumn brought from Honolulu a large sum of money, which he was using to finance the export to Macao of arms to be employed in a rebellion which would start in the CHAO-CH'ING prefecture. Thereon the Viceroy requested the banishment of T'ENG, to which Sir W. Robinson could not agree owing to want of definite proof, and the restriction of the sale of arms in Hong Kong to Chinese possessed of an official license countersigned by myself. The Viceroy also addressed the Governor of Macao, who has promised to exercise supervision over the sale of arms there.
On March 18th LI CHIA-CHO, the head of the police of the Western suburbs, seized 78 rifles of native make in a blacksmith's shop.
I have failed to get any tangible proof of the supposed plot, of which much has been made in the foreign newspapers. The unusual supply of arms sent to Macao may quite possibly be destined merely for use in the clan fights frequent in this province or for defence against the numerous bands of banditti. Nor can I attach any importance to anonymous warnings in English which were sent to the French and American Consuls in Hong Kong about the 20th February.