His Honour—In your office Yes.
His Honour—Did he appear in person?—Iam not certain, but he did appear in the general office downstairs; Iwas in my office upstairs. It was reported to me that the bury had applied to clear in the usual way.
Mr. Wilkinson—Have you this hu chao here?—No, it is in Canton.
His Honour to Mr. Platt—Let Mr. Drew testify to this and have a copy sent to me. (To Witness) Give me just what this document was to the best of your recollection.
Witness—It stated to the best of my recollection this, that Mr. Sylvester had imported certain arms and ammunition. That a portion of this had been found by the Chinese authorities for whom they were imported to be undesirable. That a buyer had been found in Hongkong for this rejected portion and that the export of them was hereby authorised.
His Honour—To any particular place?—The place was not stated.
Mr. Wilkinson—Where is that official document now?—I think it is in the archives of the Chinese Superintendent of Customs at Canton. An ollicial known as the Hoppo.
Mr. Wilkinson—Was all this at five minutes to four 7—Yes, I did not carefully read the Chinese document at five minutes to 4, Tread it the following morning, as the office was closing at 4, and there was no time to attend to it. "The ship would like to have cleared that afternoon but I said the parties must wait until next morning in order to allow me to look more carefully into it. I read it next morning.
Mr. Wilkinson—Did you grant a permit after reading it carefully 7—No, I refused Mr. Wilkinson—Did you convey the grounds of your refusal to the defendant or captain of the vessel?—Yes, I did. I cannot recollect whether I conveyed them personally to Mr. Sylvester or whether it was to the U. S. Consul. But Mr. Sylvester was made cognisant of that Isuppose on the 6th of August. Ihave every reason to suppose that everybody connected with the vessel knew what was going on.
Mr. Wilkinson—What were the actual grounds of your refusal?—The grounds were that the hu chao implied permission to re-export to Hongkong and that as the Abbey was to go elsewhere than to Hong-Kong I could not recognise that document as valid for shipment per Abbey. cation with the issuer of the document oF Mr. Wilkinson—Had you any communi-
had he any communication with you Yes, I immediately consulted the Chinese authorities of Canton.
His Honour—You mean the official who issued this hu chao?—Yes.
His Honour—Who issued it?—I think it was the Hoppo; I can almost say so absolutely. I went to him and told him that I was afraid the Abbey would take these arms somewhere she ought not. to take them and I pointed out to him that the hu chao implied permission to take them to Hongkong, and told him that there could be no objection to the arms being allowed to be conveyed to Hongkong, but that it would be imprudent for the Chinese Government to allow them to be shipped on board the Abbey and then clear the Abbey for Singapore.
His Honour—Did the Chinese oficial to the best of your recollection, or the Hoppo, or the issuer of the hu chao, did he agree with that or did he insist on a permit to Singapore?—He agreed with my procedure.
is Honour—Did he revoke that hu chao. Was there ever any new hu chao issued in regard to this shipment?—There was another subsequently issued. I wrote ab once to the Viceroy and pointed out to him what Iliad said to the Hoppo and he agreed.
Mr. Wilkinson—Were any arrangements proposed or offered to the defendant to take them to Hongkong by you?—I offered to Mr. Sylvester that the arms might be conveyed to Hongkong in any vessel which could be sure would go to Hongkong and nowhere else. That was a regular river steamer running between Canton and Hongkong, or as an alternative that the Chinese Government would at their own expense send the rifles and ammunition to Hongkong. I made that offer very care-His Honour—Made it in person or in writing 7—I am not absolutely sure that I made it in writing. Icalled on the U.S, Consul in his office and told him this, I remember, and although very confident, I cannot swear that I wrote. I am certain that the matter was brought to his knowledge more than once.
Mr. Wilkinson—What was the next step officially taken after that. Any fresh application made to you or not?—It was that the United States Consul asked whether (on 12th August) under these circumstances it would not be possible to allow shipment of arms on board the Abbey, nnd to clear the Abbey for Singapore.
His Honour—It was a matter of conversation between you from time to time?—Mr. Sylvester saw me several times in my office. That was the position I took up. He understood that all through, When it was known that the Protocol of Peace had been signed the Consul thought that now the issue of the permit to the Abbey might properly be allowed.
is Honour—Was s formal appli tion made to you by anyone for the application for Singapore?—I cannot tell you at the moment. What happened was this; on this occasion I had refused to recognise that pass and the vessel remained lying in Canton waters, Nothing was done. On or about 12th August came news of the Protdcol of Peace, The Consul thereon addressed the Viceroy and asked that the vessel might be allowed to clear for Singapore with the arms on board. I then had a consultation with the Viceroy and decided, on the recommendation of the Viceroy, we would allow the shipment of these arms per Abbey for Singapore, as desired by the merchant on consideration lafa Bond. That matter occupied several
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.