The writer of the London letter of the Manchester Guardian, a few days since, stated that a "singular claim" was about to be made by our townsman, Mr. George Duddell, of Queen's Park, against the British Government. That was the first intimation we had received on the subject, but from enquiries we have since made, we find that the claim truly deserves the name "singular," if not that of a more impressive expression. The story is best told as we find it in a Parliamentary paper, which has just been printed by order of the House of Comions, Stripped of the premonitory verbiage which usually characterises parliamentary documents, the narrative may be thus given. Early in' 1857 Mr Duddell was a merchant in Hong Kong, and as such entered navy with bread and biscuits for one year. into a contract to supply the British army and This, as is well known, was the time of what we popularly call "The late Chinese war." For some reason, which it is hardly necessary now to enquire into—from motives of jealousy, but more probably from national hatred and that jealous patriotic feeling which characterises our eastern brethren,—Cheung Alain, the baker who was then supplying our forces, endeavoured not only to poison them, but the whole of the English residents in Hongkong, by mixing arsenic with his flour, but luckily for them and unfortunately for himself, he introduced too large a portion into his eoudiments, and the consequence was that his goods produced instant sickness, and the diabolical Attempt was at once discovered. Mr. Dud-Gell had arranged to commence his supply from the first day of April, butin consequence of this dastardly affair, hie was appealed to and consented to commence his contract two months earlier. This unexpected arrangement naturally increased the jealousy or pa-triatic zealousy of Cheung Alain, or those for whom he acted as puppet, and Mr. Daddell considered himself from that day 'a marked man," and it was understood in Hongkong at the time that a reward had been offered, from some mysterious source,—admittedly the Government—for his posal." However, for six weeks he continued the supply without let or hindrance, but, on the night of the 6th of March, a fire broke out in one of fois warehouses, measuring 95 feet by 40 fect, containing 700 barrels of flour, two
was done to the extent of—after deducting pockets of hops and other things, and damage salvage—17,000 dollars. Although there was strong suspicion at the time, there was no real evidence to prove that the premises were t by an incendiary inspired by the Chinese vernment, hut such was the suspicion and sympathy of the English residents in the Island that they signed a petition to Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and Governor pointing to the political causes of the arson. The attempt to poiser the forces, and the firm of Mr. Duddel.s stores, were duly reporte by Rear Adrural Sir Michael Soyiour to the Wiikish Government, and the report was fol-jowed up by Mr. Duddell, who humbly demanded that the British Government should represent the circumstances to the Chinese Government, and demand compensation for loss. In due course his claim was submitted to the law advisers of the Crown, and Lord Clarendon expressed his opinion that the claim was one which could aot with propriety be brought by Her Majesty's Government gainst the Government of China. For a time thus matters stood, there being no direct proof that the fire was instigated by the El nese authorities; but, subsequently, other matters cropped up which threw more light on the object. In the course of the war Commodore the Hon. U. J. G. B, Elliott captured a few jinese junks, and obtained some important tate documents, in one of which Chan Tsz Tin wrote to his brother that he had seen Man Isap Shin, to whom he reported the humin, of Duddell's store, which event, he added, "is of more value th-2 the interdict itself,"—the interdict being, as set forth by Mr. Duddell's petition to Lord John Russell, when Foreign Sesretary, "a measure by which the Chinese Government endeavoured to prevent food and other necessary supplies being sent into the Colony." This Man Isap Shin, it seems, from other documents captured at the same time, was the author ut an unsuccessful End it appears that, two days previous to the project to burn or blow up the city of Victoria, burning of Duddel!'s store, this young gentleman's nephew gave notice to Chan 'T'sz Tin that the fire was likely to occur. Other do-cements tend to confirm the incendiary couspiracy, and the whole facts thus elicited were laid by' Mr. Duddell before the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. It is simply a matter of history, but the dates may be re-mentioned just to refresh the memory, that on the 26th June, 1858, by a convention between Her Majesty and the Emperor of China, it was agreed that two million taels should be paid by the latter, on account of the losses sustained by the British subjects through the misconduct of the Chinese Goverminent at Canton, and on the 24th October, 1860, that sum was increased to eight million of tae, two millions of which were to be appropriated to the indemnity of the British Mercantile Community of Canton, for losses sustained by them, and six millions to the liquidation of war expenses. From this amount Mr. Duddell claimed compensation for the loss he sustained through being a "public enemy " to the Chi. nese authorities, but hitherto the goverament have ignored his claim, maintaining that they have insufficient proof on which to make a legal claim on the Chinese authorities; but now finding that, after paying indemnity to persons who have far less claim on their consideration than he has, there is a surplus on the fund, he not unnaturally claims his proportion of that surplus.
A careful review of the circumstances can leave no doubt that Mr. Duddell has a clear and definite claim on the country which he served at a moment of great tribulation. He boldly undertook a most hazardous commission, and under threats and menaces, adhered to his contract with that determined persisrency which characterises British pluck, and having through his hearty patriotism sustained. a large pecuniary loss, he must in all equity deserve the remuneration which he demands. There is much more in his petition, and the documents which accompany it, that tends to show the motive of the conflagration than what, in brief narrative, we have been enabled to set forth, but we think we have said sufficient to show that Mr. Duddell's claim is well founded. At the first, before the evidence of the captured documents was forthcoming, the British Government maintained that they had no claim against the "ive they Chinese Government, but now, having an unapplied surplus, they beg the question. At the onset, the Government attempted to shuffle off their responsibility by sayin, that the indemnity sum was simply intended for the compensation of the mercantile community of Canton; but notwithstanding this, they paid compensation to the owners of the Ques", which was plundered by the nese and her crew murdered whilst sailing under Portuguese colours, to Van der Hooven, a native of Holland; to Mr. Tinnaway, a Turk, and to Herr Schaesfer, a German, for losses they sustained as Canton residents; and yet they persistently refuse to contribute towards th state Ly udieii, when in fact he was assisting the British Government ina most important campaign. Timeafter time Mr. Duddell has approached the Government on the subject; but notwithstanding that he is backed in his demand by high legal opinion, the Treasury Commissioners shirk the subject by simply im ch referring him on each occasion to Lord Clarendon's original opinion. Now, however, the position is changed; but claim: ing, as he does, out of the surplus of the indemnity fund, he is coolly informed that the unallotted balance has been paid into the Exchequer, and is, therefore, no longer at the disposal of the Treasury. However, Mr. A. Crawford has taken up the subject, and, as the correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says, this "singular claim" will shortly occupy the attention of the House of Com mons.—Brighton Oherreer, June 2.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.