:
190
Belgium. Towards the end of September this appointment was,
however, cancelled and the Viceroy at Canton preferred
against Chou Tung Sheng a charge of embezzlement based on
a deficiency of 2,000,000 taels reported to have been dis-
-covered on the Chinese Customs at Canton being taken over
by the Viceroy on the abolition of the office of Superintend-
-ent of Customs or Hoppo in whose Treasury Chou had some
years previously served as clerk. On the 12th. October
the Viceroy through the Consul-General asked that Chou's
landed property in Hongkong consisting of 21 lots should
be attached and on the afternoon of the 15th. that Chou,
believed to be in hiding in Hongkong, should be arrested
pending proceedings being taken for his extradition. The
same evening after consulting the Attorney-General I
issued a Warrant of arrest but the man having left the
Colony on the 11th. it was not possible to execute it. To
the Viceroy's request that I should attach the property of
Chou I replied, under advice, that power to attach property
in Hongkong was vested solely in the Supreme Court of the
Colony and suggested that the Viceroy should take legal
opinion as to what civil proceedings if any were open to
the Chinese Government in the matter, a reply with which
the