COPY
F.G.
No.13.
Sir:-
0.0. 37221 -630
HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S CONSULATE,
SWATOW,
18th August, 1904.
Early in June last Mr. Forbes, the agent of Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Company, at this port, applied to me for the recognition of the Swatow Kit-yang Chaoyang Steam launch Company as a British Company. Mr. Forbes handed to me the certificate of registration of the Company in Hong Kong under the Ordinances of that Colony, and the Articles of Association, the seven signatories of which were without exception Chinese subjects resident in Swatow.
Messrs. Jardine's compradore was the principal shareholder and I understood that the managing directors were to be the Swatow branch of the firm.
I informed Mr. Forbes that I was unable to register the Company as British or to afford them protection in China unless I was satisfied that the majority
Sir Ernest Satow, G.C.M.G.
&C.
&C.,