CHINA NAVIGATION COMPANY Ld.
S. S. "Taiyuan"
Hong Kong, January 10th, 1907.
446
Dear Mr Guterres,
I was very much astonished when I heard of the charges that had been made against you in your position as Shipping Master and I trust you will have no difficulty in proving them to be false. I have been sailing out of this port for nearly twenty years and during that time I have had considerable business with you, both in signing and paying off of crews, and I conscientiously state that I have never heard of one single instance of so-called "Squeezing". Many members of my present crew have been here for the last five (5) or six (6) years, and they would surely have mentioned the matter to me had they been treated unfairly at the Shipping Office.
I may also mention that I have always been treated in the most courteous manner during all my dealings with you as Shipping Master and I sincerely trust you will have no difficulty in proving yourself innocent of the charges brought against you.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed) L. Dawson
3/5. "Taiyuan"
True copy
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