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Sir,
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Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company to Consul-General Mansfield.
Hong Kong [undated].
I BEG to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, and inclosures, and to reply as follows:-
Conflict between Owners' and Compradore's Claims.--This is a mere slip, and there is, of course, no desire whatever to claim payment of the sum of 600 dollars twice over. I have therefore eliminated this item from the owners' claim.
The Owners' Claim.-I observe that you write on the subject of legal expenses, and can but reply that the owners are unable to coincide in your expression of opinion. The preparation of a written statement of claim of such a nature as the present does not appear to the owners to be within the scope of the staff of my Company,
It is a very exceptional matter, and the preparation of the claim required very considerable care and consideration, and the owners felt that legal assistance was absolutely necessary in order to properly present their claim.
In reply to your remark as to further claims on account of Chinese passengers, I regret that the owners are unable to view the matter in the same light; not only must they meet the claims in this connection that have been lodged with me, but must, as a necessary consequence, equally meet the further claims that will unquestionably be made on them.
Captain's, Officers', and Crew's Claims.-I observe what you write in regard to these claims, and, in reply, would like to draw your attention to the fact that in forwarding these claims this Company merely acted in a ministerial capacity on behalf of the claimants. These claims are separate and distinct from those of the owners, with which latter alone I have any direct and official concern. The owners, however, conceive that these claimants have a moral claim on this Company's good offices in putting forward their claims for them, which is the reason why I have so done.
In respect of any further particulars that you may require from any of these claimants, I would beg to state that they are all in touch with your Consulate by reason of their frequent presence in Canton, and I can only refer you to them for any such further particulars as you may require.
These remarks do not apply to the Indian watchmen, of these Khan Mahomed is still in the Government Civil Hospital here, and I should venture to imagine that the fact that he has now been in hospital for practically a month and a-half and has had to undergo a serious operation under chloroform, from the effects of which he has not yet recovered, should constitute amply sufficient facts to justify his claim of 2,000 dollars as compensation for his injuries. This is the highest of the claims of these watchmen, and the claims of the others do not appear to the owners in any way out of proportion to the injuries they suffered. These men stood by the British officers loyally, and should be adequately compensated for the injuries they sustained in so doing.
I have communicated to the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital here your expression of opinion that the medical certificates on these watchmen are useless and he has informed me, in reply, that he is unable to agree with this view inasmuch, as, in his opinion, the certificates clearly indicate the nature and severity of the respective injuries in question.
I would add that I have further informed the Superintendent of your requirement of a further certificate in relation to the probable after effects of the injuries inflicted on Captain Joslin. In reply be has informed me that any medical man will appreciate that it is practically impossible to say with any degree of certainty what will be the extent or duration of the evil arising from a nervous shock, such as was sustained by Captain Joslin and Mr. Seggie; it is only when their nervous systems are subjected to trials in the future that it can be ascertained with any certainty whether they will stand the tests or not. The great humiliation to which these two officers were subjected, and which I cannot but think will always more or less prey upon their minds in the future, is also a strong point for consideration in viewing the reasonableness or otherwise of their claims.
Captain Joslin is now serving as Chief Officer on one of this Company's steamers, a position which does not test him in the same way as a command; whether, in view of what he has gone through, the Company will feel safe in intrusting one of their vessels to his command in the future I cannot say.
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As regards any medical certificate you may require on Mr. Seggie I can but refer you to my above remark as to your communicating with the officers in question direct, inasmuch as Mr. Seggie's vessel does not run here.
General. I return both claims herewith, and can only conclude with the remark that, in view of the owners, such claims are not exaggerated, and should receive that assistance which the claimants have every right to look for from their Government.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Medical Certificate for Captain Joslin.
I HEREBY certify that I examined Captain Joslin on the 26th August, 1906. The wound in the epigastrium, where the bullet entered, and also the wound in the right side of the chest behind, through which the bullet was extracted, have both healed. He still, however, suffers some pain over the two ribs, between which the bullet was extracted.
The extensive bruising caused by kicks, from which he also suffered, has subsided. The most serious feature of Captain Joslin, especially as master of a steamer, is the present condition of his nervous system. He has suffered severely, and still suffers from the shock to his nervous system, caused by the attack of pirates on the steam-ship "Sainam," the bullet wound, the extensive and repeated kicks by pirates, and also the suspense he endured.
He cannot sleep properly, and when he does, is liable to wake suddenly with a fright from trivial causes, The effect on his mind is very much more severe than would have been caused by an accident with the same amount of physical injury. Since his discharge from hospital he has not been fit to fully carry out his duties, and I cannot yet state to what extent, and for how long, his injuries will affect his duties as master of a steamer.
E. C. DAVENPORT, M.R.C.S. England, L.R.C.P. London, M.B. London, Medical Officer, His Britannic Majesty's Consulate-General.
(Signed)
Canton, China, August 29, 1906.
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
Medical Certificate for Engineer Seggie.
I HEREBY certify that I examined Mr. Seggie, Chief Engineer of the steam-ship "Sainam," on the 28th August, 1906.
Mr. Seggie's burns have all healed. There is very slight staining resulting from the burns still present upon the forehead and left side of face. Physically, Mr. Seggie is quite well but he is still suffering from the effects on his nervous system of the piratical attack on the steamer, the acutely painful exposure near the boilers, and the suspense caused by his prolonged critical situation.
Owing to the effect of this on his mind, his suffering has been much more severe that a similar injury caused by an ordinary accidental burn or scald would have been.
Mr. Seggie cannot sleep well, and is startled by slight sounds which hitherto never disturbed him.
(Signed)
In my opinion, it would be advisable for Mr. Seggie to obtain employment on another steamer, but not on any West River steamer.
E. C. DAVENPORT, M.R.C.S. England, L.R.C.P. London, M.B. London, Medical Officer, His Britannic Majesty's Consulate-General.
Canton, China, August 29, 1906.
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