COPY.
Via Siberia.
Sir,
Canton
[No.59.
PEYING.
8 July 1909.
199 0.0 26043
RECR Race 5 AUG 09
28112
(JUL 26 1909)
Since the 1st February last, when I reported, in my
despatch No.45 that negotiations for a settlement of
the Fatahan incident had fallen through at the last
moment, the agitation against Yessrs.Butterfield and
Swire has continued in a more or less active form.
From the despatches which I have received from the
Acting Consul General at Canton, it would seen that
the movement would have died a natural death long ago
had it not been kept alive by the members of the militant
section of the Self Government Society. The circumstances
attending the death of a Chinese passenger on the "Tatshan"
were certainly not such as to warrant the popular outery
which followed upon it and, with a little goodwill on
both sides, a settlement would soon have been arranged.
But the Self Government Society were only too anxious to
keop
hight "onourable
Sir Edward Crey, Bart., M.P.
0.
8:0.
&C.