Page 364
In Sir Henry Blake's Despatch of July 6th, 1901 to the Colonial Secretary he states that the result of the investigations made by the Police have tended to strengthen the belief that the murder was committed by order of the Acting Viceroy of Canton, and that a perusal of the evidence adduced in the papers enclosed in his Despatch seemed to show with clearness that the head of the Canton Police Force was more than merely cognisant of the intention to commit a murder in British territory. He concluded by suggesting that a demand be made for a sum of Twenty thousand dollars for the widow and family of the murdered man. In his Despatch of June 20th, 1908, he suggests that the amount should be Fifty thousand dollars for the widow and family. I have not, however, found any explanation of the grounds on which it was thought desirable to increase the compensation to the widow and family.
But apart from the question of the amount of the claim, it seems to me that the present Viceroy would certainly refuse to pay either sum, and that, in the absence of direct proof of the Provincial Government's complicity, we could not enforce payment, while the mere demand for its payment would prompt the Canton Government to resist the request for a trial of the accused persons even more determinedly than they might otherwise do.
I am sending copies of this letter to His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and to the Acting Consul-General at Canton.
I have etc.,
(Sgd.) Ernest Satow.
$20,000.
$50,000.
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