37
Mr. Imai did not deny the correctness of the
copy but questioned one or two minor items. He said there
must be a mistake in the character Yuen. He added that the word write (with Tsu Kan) did not make sense. He then attemp- -ed to argue that the Captain Superintendent of Police was not justified in reading his letter. But I think I satisfied him that he was quite justified in dealing as he had with an
open letter which no one would claim, He then said that both
contending parties in the Province had great confidence in him
- more than in his colleague at Canton and that he had merely been trying to bring about a peaceful settlement of the present disorder. I said that I quite appreciated his motives but I intimated quite firmly that placed as I was I could not permit
political intrigue of this nature in the Colony and I suggested
that he might either visit Canton or some other place in the
Province for a while or even exchange places with his colleague
in Canton.
-
Mr. Imai said that he would defer to my wishes.
I then questioned him as to the identity of
Yuen. He said the character had been wrongly copied and that
he was not sure who was meant, I gave him a copy of the letter
and he said he would look into this point.
4.
77
On the 12th instant Mr. Imai called by appoint-
-ment and said that the character Yuen had been wrongly copied and that one Chau Shin-wan was meant - a great friend of the
Japanese Colonel. He said that the word write was wrong and
that he had meant "join with". I suggested unite and Mr.
Messer tells me that as the Consul General's handwriting is
not good it may have been that word. Mr. Imai then went on
to explain that his object had been entirely in the interests
of humanity. He had not engaged in any intrigue to stir up
trouble. He had wished to induce the persons engaged in the
present conflict to compose their differences. Otherwise the
disorder in the Province would take no end. He declared that
he did not know who the first Sham referred to in the letter
was.
7