CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 291

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of were,

as I have already reported, contained in a

confidential despatch to the Viceroy, a copy of which

found its way into the local press.

It is hardly to be wondered at that the

Portuguese Consul-General declines, under the circumstances

to comply with the Society's request.

You will observe that the question of the

reopening of the "Fatshan" case is now being left in the

background, and that the So°isty are making the Consul's

alleged calumnies a pretext for stirring up popular

feling against the Portuguese, evidently with the object

of prejudioing the boundary delimitation negotiations

now pending.

I am informed by an eye witness of the pro-

ceedings at the meeting referred to that a speaker who

attempted to move a resolution condemning my action in

the "Fatshan" case was promptly ruled "out of order* by

the Chairman.

I have no doubt that the Society, who have the

sympathy