I am at present not disposed to favour the bringing of a formal charge against Yeung Tsing-hai, the Commander of a Chinese Gunboat. It is evident that he was acting under the orders of Li Ka Cheuk, who again had his authority from the Acting Viceroy Tsao; and if Yeung is indicted formally, the question of official complicity will be directly involved, and the other prosecutions will, so far as I can judge, be strenuously resisted. The murder occurred three and a half years ago, the Acting Viceroy Tsao is dead, Li Ka Cheuk was banished to Mongolia last April by the present Acting Viceroy, and the evidence against Yeung himself is none too strong. I would therefore propose to keep the case against this man in reserve; and, if the Viceroy treats the charges against Tung Tseung and Ng Lo San in a satisfactory manner, to make it and the evidence of official complicity the subject of a strong warning when finally winding up the matter.
I have etc.,
(sd.) C. C. Campbell.