CO129-124 - Sir MacDonnell - 1867 [8-9] — Page 236

the

seizure and confiscation of the "Prince Albert" by

Chinese Authorities has

been contested

are.

aware:

by

the

you

and the official

correspondence with the Governor

of Hongkong sufficiently demonstrates the fact. On the contrary, I was fully satisfied from

beginning that the

seizure and the confiscation were legal, and

alike

within the

competence of the Chinese Authorities, under the 47th clause of the Treaty, my action

has been limited to efforts to

obtain

a

mitigation of the penalty.

228

the ground that a lesser fine

would meet the end in view and

stop the coast smuggling which

existed to the

detriment

and great loss of the Imperial Revenue

a very legitimate object

on my part, and one

which I had

neither the right

nor the desire

to defeat. I think it essential

under the circumstances that neither

the Merchant's nor Shipowners should

be

misled by

any

random

statement of the fact made at

a

public meeting, and it may be well in general interests, not only

that the Chairman's mind

should be disabused of