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12th. he called upon me and I have now the honour to submit to you the purport of the situation disclosed and of the conversation which took place, at which the Colonial Secretary (Mr. May) was present.
The Self-Government Society (a term which I understand by the way to be better translated by such a phrase as 'Self-Help' or 'Self-Reliance' and to have nothing to do with the decentralization of the Government of China) appears to have organised a most effective Boycott, which had already completely destroyed the Hongkong Manila trade of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire and there was evidence to shew that it was extending across the Pacific and to all Chinese Ports.
The shipping business of the Firm was in Mr. Law's opinion threatened with at any rate temporary ruin. In these circumstances it was in their interests to come to terms at any price and Mr. Law was prepared to do so. His object, however, had been to utilise the surrender by obtaining proof that it was the Self-Government Society who were demanding the terms, and responsible for the Boycott.
The Viceroy had absolutely declined to move on the grounds that there was no Boycott in Canton and that the Boycott, if any, was between Hong-kong and Manila. A Chinese Merchant of Amoy now approached
the