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of the line they had to start theory that the loan abstituted English for American, spreading stories and making an outery in the papers, reversing right and wrong and pouring out abuse right and left. The facts of the case are plainly manifest and the real Hunan gentry knew them long ago.
The talker without inquiry worried Their Majesties with reports and since Their Majesties are good enough to vouchsafe an Imperial inquiry he has the honour to set forth explicitly for Their Majesties' consideration answers to the five puzzles propounded by the censor in question.
1.
The Censor's memorial says:-
"The said Viceroy the moment he was charged with the abrogation of the concession should have encouraged the gentry and people of the three Provinces to provide redemption funds so as to stand in a secure position. But when time came he told lies, willingly swallowed the tempting bait, borrowed at interest £1,100,000 of English gold and of his own motion made the opium excise, the State's revenue, the security."
When he started the abrogation proposal the memorialist sent telegrams to the authorities and gentry of Hunan and Kuangtung to provide actual funds. The Hunan gentry at first proposed to levy a grain excise per mou, and a polltax based on salt used; the Kuangtung gentry proposed to start a lottery and to get shares taken abroad. Hupet being the very poorest our gentry and scholars only proposed to help by realising the district reserve grain and candidates' grant in aid. In fact there were
either