>
652
detaining this vessel, which
should have been treated as a pub-
lic vessel of the United States
and as consequently not bound to
comply with the provisions of the
local law of the Colony while in
Hongkong waters.
I have accordingly the honour
to convey to Your Excellency the
sincere regret of Her Majesty's
Goverment at the action of the
Colonial authorities in the matter
and I trust that the instructions
which have now been despatched to
Hong Kong will prevent any pos-
sibility of a recurrence of such
a regrettable incident.
:
!