)
Paraphrase of Shameen telegram No. 6 to Peking. Immediate.
648
Repeated to Foreign Office No.
13.
Refer to Foreign Office telegram No. 339.
Paragraph 1. Up to date Chinese have declined to agree
to a joint examination.
Paragraph 2. I gather that Portuguese Minister is willing to engage in pourpariers in the manner proposed. He is now in lacao (November 6th.).
The trouale is that the only person who can order the departure of the gunboat is the Commander in Chief who is still at Kuang-si- end Chinese popular opinion insists on the Government maintaining the firm attitude it has taken
up.
I have had no reply to a private letter I sent to on the 3rd. instant strongly advising him to get the gunboat out of the way in order that pour arlers with the Portuguese Kinister might begin.
Pending the failure of further efforts to secure tae removal of the gunboat, I am greatly averse to any
show of naval force.