II.
Sir,
Government House,
Hongkong, 29th March, 1909.
C.O. 16263
FGP 15 MAY OS
I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of this date. I regret very much to find that Your Honour is dissatisfied with the explanation of my views contained in my letter of March 15th, and that you "demur entirely" to the course of action which I have taken. This course of action is described by Your Honour as consisting in "a refusal to take any steps because I cannot believe that the officer (Mr. Seth) is not speaking the truth".
2. You desired that the correspondence should be transmitted to the Secretary of State, and this was at once done. On receipt of his reply Your Honour declined to accept the Secretary of State's decision, and a new correspondence has arisen which (again at Your Honour's request) I have transmitted to the Secretary of State. This was the only step which it was left open for me to take, and by referring the matter to the Secretary of State its disposal has been taken out of my hands.
3. Your Honour asserts that "so far as you can gather I have had several interviews with Mr. Seth whose explanations...