CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 482

479

I have now the honour to submit a more detailed

report on the events which led up to the incident on Now

Year's day together with a brief review of the progress

of the negotiations between the Chinese Authorities and

the Portuguese Consul-General.

In a despatch dated December 15th. the Viceroy

informed the Portuguese Consul that the relatives and friends

of the passenger who died on the "Petshan" were not satis-

fied with the result of the prelimin ry onquiry hold at

the British Consulate and he therefore requested the Consul

to hold a further enquiry into the case in conjunction

with the Namhoi Magistrate and a deputy appointed by the

Viceroy.

The Consul replied some days later deprecating the

holding of a fresh enquiry in view of the fact that not a

particle of frosh evidence had been adduced in support of

the charge, but offering, if more evidence were forthcoming,

to hold another enquiry under certain conditions. The chief

of these were that only one Chinese official, of Taotai's

rank, should attend the enquiry, that this official should

take