4.
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me to join an American Transport bound for South Africa;
this I positively refused to do, and eventually a day or
to later) succeeded in obtaining a passage in the P.0.
Company's Steamship Formosa.
Up to this time I had no idea that my wife had
deserted me or that my home had been broken up; and on
arrival at Gravesend on a Sunday I prodeeded to my home at
Blackheath by train as light heartedly as possi ble, only to
find on my arrival what a terrible calamity had befallen me.
I then went to an Hotel in London for the night, and Colonial
in the morning proceeded to the Femedia Office and interviewed
Sir Alfred Lyttelton, the then Foreign Minister. That gentle-
man kindly took the matter up for me and thanked me for bring-
ing the oese before him.
The ultimate result of his action wes that he succeed-
ed in getting what was purported to be the minutes of the proceedings, but what he admitted to be a ridiculouly concocted
and incorrect statment.
Sir Alfred Lyttelton ordered the imediate diandesal
of the Shipping Nester and his Assistent (The Shipping: Kaster a Portugese or Goanese Subject had held this position for 28 years and his assistant, also a Coanese Subject had been there
for something like 18 years.)
The Captain was, through the Foard of Trade, deprived
of his certificate for all time.
I instructed a Solicitor to bring an action ng inst
1