296
sympathy, if not the actual encouragement, of influential
officials in Canton, have been advised to leave the
"Patshan" case alone, and confine themselves to their
anti-Portuguese agitation.
The outcome of this agitation is, as usual,
a threatened boycott, and the Portuguese in South China
having no commerce or industries, Macao's opium divans,
gambling houses and brothels are singled out for attack.
I am still unable to say what action my Port-
uguese colleague is taking in face of this agitation,
as he has been indisposed for some time past and is
seldom at home to visitors. He has not consulted me in
and I
the matter or asked for my assistance in any way,
am under the impression that he harbours some feelings
of resentment against me on account of the Viceroy's
recent proclamation, which he regards as a vindication
of Messrs Butterfield and Bwire and myself at his expense.
I did not myself at first view the proclamation
in this light, but from some remarks let fall by my
Japanese