Your Excellency,
16373 REC REGS AUG
Foreign Office August 4 1896 107
I communicated to H.M. Sec. of State for the Colonies the representation made by you on the 9th inst.: with regard to the fine recently imposed on two officers of the German Mail Steamer "Hohenzollern" for trespassing on the fortifications at Hongkong.
Y.E. is probably aware that the fine was itself a commutation of a more severe sentence which was imposed on the first hearing of the case, as the incident in question was the second of the kind which had occurred in the Colony within a short period.
I have now the pleasure of informing you that, in deference to the request made by your Govt.: instructions have been sent to the Governor of Hongkong to remit the fine altogether.
I have &c. (sd) Salisbury
H.E. Count Hatzfeldt