Sir,
23 June 1908.
The enclosed copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Consulate General at Canton shows that, prior to the receipt of the instructions which the Waiwupu had, as stated in my despatch No.210 of the 12th ultimo, promised to send to the Viceroy at Canton, that official had, as the result of pressure exercised at the instance of the Colonial Government taken measures with the object of reforming the currency conditions obtaining in the district, and had ordered the mint to restrict the output of subsidiary coins.
At the time of writing the despatch, Mr. Fox was evidently under the impression that the Hongkong Government would be content to leave the matter in the hands of the Viceroy, but I have since received a despatch from the Right Honourable Sir Edward Grey, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.M.G.