CO129-056 - Sir Bowring - 1856 [6] — Page 261

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

16

The tough draft of the March Requisition, presented for my approvals contained the monstrous item of $227.50 "for extra provisions supplied to prisoners under sentence of death!" My first impression was that such unprecedented largesse must have been some attempt to extort money from Government upon false pretences, and to satisfy myself I summoned the Storekeeper Eminets, being the parties concerned, and after making due enquiry, found to my utter surprise that these clever fellows had so far practised upon the simplicity of the Storekeeper as to induce him to provide luxuries for them, for the best breakfast and Supper which could be supplied, including the most choice and costly Soups of the season, and that they themselves even went so far as to send down to this book-shop, daily, Bill of fare for the next day, availing themselves, for this purpose, of the writing materials supplied to them to communicate with their friends in their last hours.

On questioning them as to this liberal self-indulgence, they replied, that they had always heard that prisoners under sentence of death always similarly indulged in such luxuries, and on questioning the Storekeeper as to why he executed such an extraordinary order, he told me he had understood from someone that "the condemned men were to have the best chow-chow". I recollect the man asking me the question on the

259

Edit History

2026-05-18 03:07:02 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct
Live
View comparison
AI Proofread
16 The tough draft of the March Requisition, presented for my approvals contained the monstrous item of $227.50 "for extra provisions supplied to prisoners under sentence of death!" My first impression was that such unprecedented largesse must have been some attempt to extort money from Government upon false pretences, and to satisfy myself I summoned the Storekeeper Eminets, being the parties concerned, and after making due enquiry, found to my utter surprise that these clever fellows had so far practised upon the simplicity of the Storekeeper as to induce him to provide luxuries for them, for the best breakfast and Supper which could be supplied, including the most choice and costly Soups of the season, and that they themselves even went so far as to send down to this book-shop, daily, Bill of fare for the next day, availing themselves, for this purpose, of the writing materials supplied to them to communicate with their friends in their last hours. On questioning them as to this liberal self-indulgence, they replied, that they had always heard that prisoners under sentence of death always similarly indulged in such luxuries, and on questioning the Storekeeper as to why he executed such an extraordinary order, he told me he had understood from someone that "the condemned men were to have the best chow-chow". I recollect the man asking me the question on the 259
Baseline (Original)
2 16 The tough draft of the March Requisition, presented for my approvals contained the monstros item of $227.50 "for oftra permisions supplied to frioners "under sentence of devith !" _ My first impression was that such Mrecedented_eliverge must have been work attempt to extort minay from Government upon false pretences, and to sortisfy myself out men Sonvermbled the Sookiepor Eminets, being the porties concerned, and after making due utter Surprise enquiry, found to my that these elever fell nos had so far___ prastived upon the Simplicity of the as to induce line to Priven Looking love cook ship in the dent dorily from, for the best breakfast and Supper which could be supplied, including the most clinice and cootly 259 Soups of the Arson_,_ and that they themselves to even went so 10 fon soud down to this book-thop, daily, Bill of fore for the next day,- sailing themselves, for this pumpove, of the writing materials supplied to them to communicate with their frien in their loist hours.. On questioning them as to this liberat self indulgence, they replied, that they hood always heard that prismers under sentence of death_ always similarly indulged sath luxuries, _ and on questioning the as to why be executed such Looking extraordinary order_, he told me he hard understood from, Averc an " that the endemmed men were to have the best chow-chow". I recollect the Man a : sking me the question on the
2026-05-18 03:07:02 · Baseline
View content

2

16

The tough draft of the March Requisition, presented for my approvals contained the monstros item of $227.50 "for oftra permisions supplied to frioners "under sentence of devith !" _ My first

impression was

that such

Mrecedented_eliverge must have been work attempt to extort minay from Government upon false pretences, and to sortisfy myself out men Sonvermbled the Sookiepor Eminets, being the porties concerned, and after making due utter Surprise enquiry, found to my

that these elever fell nos had so far___ prastived upon the Simplicity of the

as to induce line to

Priven Looking love cook ship in the

dent dorily

from, for the best breakfast and Supper which could be supplied, including the most clinice and cootly

259

Soups of the Arson_,_ and that they

themselves to

even went so

10 fon

soud down to this book-thop, daily, Bill of fore for the next day,- sailing themselves, for this pumpove, of the writing materials supplied to them to communicate with their frien

in their loist hours..

On questioning them as to this liberat self indulgence, they replied, that they hood always heard that prismers under sentence of death_

always similarly indulged sath luxuries, _ and on questioning the

as to why be executed such Looking

extraordinary order_, he told me he hard understood from,

Averc

an

"

that

the endemmed men were to have the best chow-chow". I recollect the

Man a

: sking me the question on the

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.