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the Southern provinces and is therefore more than ever desirous of assuring for himself a more sympathetic neighbour in the
Colony of Hongkong.
Kr. Ch'en was very insistent that I should take some action
to make Dr. Sun's present attitude known to the proper British Authorities and hinted that an interview between Dr. Sun and the
Governor of Hongkong would be desirable, but I repeated that
x while Dr. Sun's professions remained so widely at variance with his actions, I personally could see little hope of any improve-
ment in relations.
Should you consider it desirable that any official notice be taken of these overtures, I would venture to suggest that His l'ajesty's Consul-General at Canton might be authorized to transmit to His Excellency the Governor any observations which Dr. Sun's representative at Canton might be instructed to make on the subject, and I could then inform Er. Ch'en that this was the proper channel for communication with Hongkong.
As Mr. Denham is leaving here for Hongkong to-day I am sending by him a private letter to Sir Ronald Lacleay in which I have enclosed copies of my despatch No.12 and of this despatch, with the explanation that these have not been communicated either to the Governor or to Mr. Jamieson pending instructions
from yourself.
I have, etc.
(Sd) 3. BARTON,
Consul-General.