i
>
203
On the 14th. instant I had received a lettor
from Messrs Butterfield and Swire in which the following
words occur:-
"We have got into touch with the Self Govern-
mont Society and are negotiating with thera for a settle-
ment, full particulars of which I will send you later
should an agreement be arrived at. I expect you will not
be pleased with the terme we may have to concede, but our
business was boing so seriously interfered with that we
had to do something, and as the Viceroy is powerless we
had to recommise thit for the time being the Self
Government Society hold the whip hundio."
On the following day I received an official
latter from Maasrs Butterfield and Swire, asking me to
persuade the Portuguese Consul to hold an investigation
into the case of the watchman lloronha "on strictly logul
lines", when the Consul's decision, Mesars Butterfield
and Swire undertook to say, "would be accepted by the
Chinese public".
I enclose