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1.
มี
-
146
*
Lerod will to amoldavnoUKĄ.
SITING SZAKmnco delab48 10
tendente, po botoeuth
-u to uniços alanad
petence paneļdum eña no
12.04
MATAN BOLJ TOM PIZ
XL Bu encieu
m: !
9.7 ni beslaħ
Ciakong mela moqu
.midsoliqya
on the ground that British ships are at present prevented
by the Chinese agitators from engaging in the same trade.
Such action would apparently be possible unless it could be
contended that is involved a breach of some relevant treaty
obligation, but as the question whether any such breach
would be involved may depend largely on the terms of the
Straits settlements immigration laws it would not be possible to issue instructions to His Majesty's representa-
tives in China until the viewe both of the soard of Trade
and the Colonial office have been received and considered.
4.
The second question, which arises on the Colonial
office letter of November 13th, is whether anything can be
done to prevent non-sritish ships from running from Chinese
ports to singapore, omitting Hongkong, when this action is
taken merely with the object of destroying the trade of
Hongkong. As regarda Chinese ships, the position may not
be soo complicated, but a difficulty arises in connection
with other foreign ships, and one of the vessels now in
question is Norwegian, It seems extremely probable that any
attempt to prevent a Norwegian ships from trading with
singapore on the grounds suggested would inspive a violation
of our treaty obligations: see for instance articles 6 and
7 of the Treaty with Sweden and Horway of March 18th, 1826.
5.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the Colonial
+
107
wha kuti a 02
.aber; 10 binar
office.
I am,
sir,
Your obedient Servant,
(54) S. P. WATEKLOTMM
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