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ignorant of its existence, you will therefore request His
Highness to communicate it at once to the Viceroy of Canton
Conten, in order that its oberoen and other Provincial officials which it may be secured for
the future. You may at the same time intimate to the Prince
that Her Majesty's Government in fulfilment of their Treaty
obligations have directed the Government of HongKong to
surrender two Chinese pirates now in custody in the Colony,
on the usual formalities being observed and the customary
promise not to apply torture being given by the Viceroy.
I am aware that the engagement of 1866
extended only to the disuse of torture at capital executions,
and not to its use as a means of obtaining evidence or con-
fession, but I am not prepared to dissent from the vier expressed at the time by Sir R. Alcock that it was impossible
to insist upon the whole of the Chinese Judicial Machinary
being set aside in the preliminary examination of criminals,
in order to meet the views of a foreign Government.
I consider that Her Majesty's Government
may properly insist on the strict fulfilment of that guarante
galawin bust that ́as regardo iós lure
as regards torture at the trial they should be satisfied with the Viceroy's assurance that it will not be resorted tor
I am etc.,
(Sd.) Granville.
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