CO129-333 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [1-4] — Page 215

had no claim.

213

The Viceroy produces no sort of evidence that

the coal belonged to Chou Tung Sheng except apparently the verbal

testimony of Chou Tung Sheng's steward and it would be interesting

to know now such testimony was given and under what compulsion or

inducements.

As regards the Viceroy's other allegations

such as the fraudulent mortgaging of the coal on the part of Beng

Hua Chun to assist Chou Tung Sheng there would appear to be no

evidence whatever proffered - and it needs a great stretch of

imagination to believe that in January, 1905, it occurred to Chou

Tung Sheng to mortgage this one particular property in another

man's name in order to meet possible subsequent discovery of al-

-leged defalcations from the Chinese Government and this is the

less worthy of consideration when it is a fact that during the

summer of 1905 Chou Tung Sheng enjoyed the distinction of being

appointed Chinese Minister to a foreign power. He could hardly

have been apprehensive of ruin.

With regard to the Viceroy's despatch of

23rd. ultimo we would again point out that a statament by Wong Chi

Au can hardly be considered as conclusive or any evidence.

As the mortgage was registered and the coal

handed over to Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Company, the Viceroy's

statement that the mortgage was secretly effected falls to the

ground.

owner is undoubted

Tbat Peng Hua Chun represented himself að

but we maintain that he did not ao so fraudu-

-lently and it is impossible to imagine that Chou Tung Sheng should.

have wished to put forward Feng Hua Chun as the owner of the coal

to prevent its possible seizure at some later date when he had a

large quantity of other property in Canton and in hongkong.

The recent attachments of Chou Tung Sheng's

property