CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 201

COPY.

Via Siberia.

Sir,

Canton

[No.59.

PEYING.

8 July 1909.

199 0.0 26043

RECR Race 5 AUG 09

28112

(JUL 26 1909)

Since the 1st February last, when I reported, in my

despatch No.45 that negotiations for a settlement of

the Fatahan incident had fallen through at the last

moment, the agitation against Yessrs.Butterfield and

Swire has continued in a more or less active form.

From the despatches which I have received from the

Acting Consul General at Canton, it would seen that

the movement would have died a natural death long ago

had it not been kept alive by the members of the militant

section of the Self Government Society. The circumstances

attending the death of a Chinese passenger on the "Tatshan"

were certainly not such as to warrant the popular outery

which followed upon it and, with a little goodwill on

both sides, a settlement would soon have been arranged.

But the Self Government Society were only too anxious to

keop

hight "onourable

Sir Edward Crey, Bart., M.P.

0.

8:0.

&C.