HONGKONG, 11th June, 1909.
373
Woo Tang Sam, Esq.
Dear Sir,
"FATSHAN".
20079
LAUG 10 1909
We beg to acknowledge receipt of the letter you received from the Self Government Society which we beg to return.
We regret to learn that the Self Government Society are now imposing fresh conditions before they will agree to a settlement.
We are, as we have already advised you, agreeable to conditions 1, 2, 3 & 4, but would remark that we can only undertake to change the master; we cannot agree to dismiss him and publish the fact.
Captain Lloyd is our oldest, and a very highly respected servant. He was on the bridge navigating the steamer, and thus caring for the safety of the passengers, at the time the Portuguese watchman is said to have assaulted the Chinese passenger.
As regards the Self Government Society's demand that we shall guarantee to have the case retried before the Portuguese Consul, this is absolutely impossible for us to do. We have no power over the Portuguese Consul, therefore the Self Government Society are asking something which it is not in our power to fulfil. The Self Government Society appear to think that we have the power to compel officials...