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2.

of the Central Bank of China, on 10th March, (that

is to say, only a day before the despatch of

the two telegrams referred to above, and

immediately prior to Mr. Hsi's departure for

Hongkong), and that Mr. Hsi had informed him,

without any reference to Mr. Wu's connexion with

the Ningpo Commercial and Savings Bank, that the

latter, who had been kidnapped, had been released

on payment of a very large ransom. It also

transpired that, although Mr. Li Ming, General

Manager of the Chekiang Industrial Bank, Limited

and doyen of the local representatives of the

Chinese Government Banks, had been in almost daily

communication with Mr. Henchman and had actually

dined with the Commercial Counsellor on the night

of 10th March, he had not made the slightest

reference to this affair to either of them.

It was decided nevertheless that Mr. Henchman

should, without disclosing knowledge of the

details or the source of his information,

endeavour to ascertain what Mr. Li knew about the

affair, while at the same time telling him enough

to warn him of the impending danger if he were

unaware of it. When the subject was broached,

Mr. Li gave Mr. Henchman a full account of what had

occurred, which tallied very closly with the

telegraphic reports received from Mr. Rogers; explained that he had been anxious to call on

Mr. Henchman

he

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