CO129-292 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [6-8] — Page 204

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Rece

&

Peet 7 AUG 19

British Consulate.

Saigon, 18th. June, 1899.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your des-

patch 813 of 19th May which arrived yesterday only.

The Governor General being absent in China, upon

his railway business, and the Lieutenant Governor being but a

substitut

I wired this morning

ad interim Gov. Gen. benig about Flags Henbarrier ferrules ablauben Do Your

you think that I should await anworl

to July ? Sardachate quasing arresting hogrubber

for I am quite sure the L.G. will do nothings he can do nothing

to any effect. I hand you a copy of the "Reglements" of the Port, de Commerce you will see that these 'Reglements”, as far

as they concern the Customs at, least, are Laws of France,

with which no Colonial Governorean interfere.

So, the only thing to be done is to petition the

Governor General to induce the Chief of Customs to reduce the

rewards out of the way of temptation; at present an informer gets of the fine which is altogether out of reason: I do

not think that anything will come of it, but it shall be

tried the money is too welcome.

Although the Administration will not be asked to

alter any law, the only reply I shall receive in any case, will be that the law holds the ship liable and that there is no power (as there is certainly no desire) to alter it, heres or something of that kind. The relief must come from home if from anywhere, that I am quite certain of.

As you say,

the system of rewards in vogue here, for

The Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG'.

the