205
the spot where the deceased diod. As will be seen from Br.
Porter's report the "hinese Authorities made hardly any
attempt to control the crowd that surged in and around the
ship and a satisfactory examination of the body was thus
rendered impassiblo.
The preliminary enquiry at the Consulate would not
under ordinary circumstances have been open to the public
nor was I obliged, I take it, to allow thiness officials
to be present and cross-oxemina witnesses.
I need hardly say that I held the enquiry in this
manor in order to meet the wishes of the thinose Authoritie
and conciliate hinese public opinion.
to the sequel chows, I apparently failed in both
those objecta, but the fact of the enquiry being held in
public and in the presence of Thinese officials has, I
venture to think, to a great extent rendered official dia-
satisfaction with the rogult end newspaper criticism of
the proceedings unjustified and ineffective.
With regard to the important question of jurisdiction
I trust the line I took my moet with your approval.
I
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