117
:!
It was necessary, however, if the scheme was
to be successful, that it should receive the active
aupport and cooperation of the local authorities,
both civil and military, and in order to secure this,
I suggested that the Wai Yu Pu should memorialize
the Throne and obtain the issue of an Imperial Decree
clearly defining the responsibility of the Viceroy
and the local authorities in the matter.
It did not appear to me advisable that this
responsibility, as suggested by His Majesty's Consul-
General at Canton, should be confined to making
pecuniary reparation, and the proposal in its wider
form was I conceived, likely to prove more accept-
able to the Chinese.
Yesterday I had a conference at the Wai Wu Pu
with the Grand Secretary Wa T'ung and Wis Excellency
T'ong thoa-Yi on the subject. They informed me
that they had telegraphed the contents of my "ete to
the new Viceroy at Canton and would prefer not to
commit themselves to any definite expression of
opinion
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