Copy.
Translation.
Enclosure No. 2 in Swatow No. 27 of June 29th, 1927.
65
H.M. Consul, Swatow,
to
Commissioner for Foreign Affairs.
Swatow, June 11th, 1927.
Sir,
Yesterday I had the honour to send you a letter by a
special messenger requesting that Low Peng Kiah, who had been
arrested, should be released instantly.
The messenger reports that you sent a deputy to go
with him to demand Low's release. The deputy, however,
having found the head of the Branch Office of the Opium
Suppression Bureau in the Kuang Hua Hotel, held a secret
conversation inside the hotel for several hours, but did
nothing to effect Low's release. When at last he emerged,
at 8 or 9 o'clock, he merely said that Low would have to
find a guarantor; and later on he remarked that it was too
late to transact official business and that the matter must
wait until the next day.
Low Peng Kiah, who has now arrived at my office, has
given me the following particulars of the case.
He was writing in his office, when suddenly one of
the employees of the Opium Suppression Bureau, accompanied
by two detectives, rushed in, stating that they were search-
ing for illicit opium. He informed them that his was a
British firm and that if they wished to take any action
they should move the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs to
request the British Consul to take up the matter. For
reply, he only received abuse. They seized the opium
utensils on the desk and having compelled him to sign a
paper to the effect that they had done no damage, they
dragged him off to the No. 3 Police Station, whence he was
sent /