CO129-113 - MacDonnell - 1866 [5-6] — Page 190

assure

on reply, you may the Governor that I am fully

the position of affairs,

aware of and do not for

one moment

attempt to shield the Local

the

Chinese Government from responsibilities that justly attach to them as Rulers of the People,

or excuse

them

for

their evident

>

neglect of their duties. Furing

and

the past five years many frequent have been the consultations I have held on the subject with the successive Viceroys, and I can vouch for it that efforts,

have not been

wanting

on

their

part to suppress the great evil

189

complained of by this Excellency the Governor, but the insubordination the Provinces and the low state the Exchequer have offered serious obstacles to this desirable

of

consummation and placed the Imperial Government in

а

position of much

difficulty. It is Excellency the Governor, I His observe, however, appreciates the situation when he states, "It is more than probable "that other matters

of grave "political importance have for long period prevented the "Chinese authorities from giving

a

adequate attention to the increasing