About ten o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Mason rose from the breakfast table at the Central Hotel, and o" returning to is room found a representative of this paper lying in wait for him, He submitted to the operation of interviewing with patient courtesy and frankness, and in the course of conversation said:—I am staying here because it is British territory, and to have gone to either of the other hotels might complicate matters if the Chinese Govern ment demand my prosecution. Tam quite prepared to hear that they have done so—presumably on a charge of aiding and abetting in a seditious conspiracy. 1 have, in fact, had threats of such proceedings held out to me unless I confessed all." Lain nominally still in the Imperial Customs, of course, though I consider myself susponded—in fact I intend refunding the pay I drew in advance when going on leave. You see I got a month's leave, to use as I liked—TI was accountable to no one for my movements. I had taken a good deal of interest in the Kolao Hui ever since it began to play ea prominent a part in Chinese polities, that is to say within the last few months. Before that I had not even known of its existence. I to some extent assumed the rule of an amateur detective, being conversant with the language, and I told w friend beforehand what I was contemplating doing. In Hongkong I became aware of the fact that several Europeans had been enlisted in the movement—T can't say whether or not they are the men who are reported in yesterday's N.-C. Daily News as claiming connection which claitn is quite without founda and I gleaned other information was a quantity of arms and amununition shipped on the Chi-yuen, Ido not know by whom, consigned indirectly to me, As soon as we arrived here I declared" these to the Customs elficers, who of course at once seized them, being contraband. I knew nothing at the time of any information having been sent from Hongkong respecting the arms. Although these were confiscated, however, I was quite a f and I proceeded up the river. I suspicious that I took some dynamite with me—by the way it was not 25lbs., as the Pre (@ portwantean) wrapped up in clothe apers said, it was Slbs.; I carried itin that
ing. I don't know much about dynamite, but I suppose it was risky stuff to carry. I could have bought it in Shanghai, of course, instead of bringing it all the way from Hongkong, but I prefer saying nothing at present as to what I wanted it for. I am confident I can fully explain it if occasion arises. I would rather not say whether or nut I considered myself a pri-rover after the dynandte was dlooverod Chinkiang. I went wherever my superiors told me. "I have already given my evidence as faras I could in the absence of a full investigation—it was simply a voluntary explanation of my conduct. Of course the Taotai was very anxious to get information on behalf of the Chinese Government, but heusedno threats. He particularly wanted to know the names of any whom I knew be implicated, but although I had seen a list including those of several foreigners, about the Kolao Hui; I think the newspapers know about as' much. Of course this is all rubbish about my being a member of it. [have said all along that my defence has nothing to do with avy ' confession" or "revelations" of any kind, -1 have made statement on which the authorities can nct, but until they have had an opportunity of doing so it is obviously impossible to make it public. AN I ask at present is that my case shall not prejudged, and that the public will disabuse their minds of any idea that I am terrible leader of the Kolao Hui. I certainly am: of opinion that the society contemplated getting hold of me on my way down, if it had been feasible, but it would have more with " view to putting me out of the way of giving any informa: tion Tmight have, than of rescuing me from the authorities, and T should have been the first to r T got a letter from the society since my arrival here, threatening me with death, and J really feared an atruck at first, because I don't think the warnings of such a body are to be ignored. But the threat, was conditional on my doing yomething, and as I have fulfilled the condition asked Ido not anticipate further danger.
Toousider it my duty to wait hero for few days, at any rate, to give them chance to prosecute me, though I could get away any day if 1 wanted to escape. Iam not averse to a disclosure of the whole uff My answer is complete, only I have un fortunately happened to be caught in a compromising situation whilst pursuing valuable clue, and my mouth is closed,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.