CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 216

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H.B. M's. Consulate,

Canton, 11th. December, 1900.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the

receipt of your despatch No. 2210 of the third inatant, on the proposed extradition of one Liao u and the desire of His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong that a Consular Officer should be permitted by the Chinese Authorities to attend the trial to satisfy himself that torture was not

applied to the accused.

I shall be obliged if you will inform His Excellency the Governor that since the receipt of the despatch under acknowledgment I have carefully referred to my instructions from Her Majesty's Foreign Office and from Her Majesty's Minister on the subject.

I find that my latest instructions ere contained in the despatch of November 2nd, 1882 from Her Majesty's Charge d'Affairs of which and its principal

enclosure I enclose copies.

It appears that the instructions of Her Majesty's Government on this question are the result of much correspondence and a full consideration of the subject and are binding on me until the whole question is reopened and a different conclusion is arrived at by Her Majesty's Government. His Excellency the Governor does ~ not, it appears, think the present moment opportune for a reopening of the whole question. In this view I would ~ venture to agree and I would further suggest that to open the question partially and locally would be of no avail. An alteration of the judiciary procedure of Chinese Courts is involved which can, I think be effected only by the ~

central The Honourable,

J. H. Stewart-Lockhart, C.M.G

Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.