The following letter appears in the "Hongkong Daily Press" of the 4th inst.
Macao, 30th November.
Srr,—It may be remembered that last February, nearly a year ago, something was said in the Hongkong and Shang!
papers concerning the former Directo the Chinese Telesraph Ca. at Shanghai who was arrested xt Macao and detained pending the question of his extradition.
It may now interest some of your renders that the unfortunate individual, King Lien-Shan, is still in prison, whatever has become' of the question of his extradition. His grievance is no slight one, and is well worth the sympathy of the foreign residents China and indeed of all friends of justi Events in China, subsequent to King's arrest, have liven of such a nature as very effectively to distract public attention and preoccupation from a personal grievance otherwise the cave of King would certainly have brought forth a strong protest of righteous indignation.
he facts of his case are very simple. When the Empress Dowager at the begin ning of this year contemplated and even Aecreed the deposition of the Emperor, the manager of the Telegraph Ca. member of the Chinese community at Shanghai, headed the list of signatories to the telegram of protest, sent by prominent Chinese of Shanghai and other ports. That action brought upon him the indignation of the Dowager and her Ministers, "ud Sheng Trotai was ordered tu produce the offender. King consulted his safety by flight, and took an carly steamer for Hongkong." He was iIladvised enough, however, for some rei son or other, to come to Macao. There, according to his own statement, he rreeived word that the acting Viceroy of Nanking desired to sce him, and trusting to that official's goodwill and sincerity, he was about to leave for Shanghai, wien h+ was unexpectedly arrested here at the request of Li Hung-chang. Trusting +till in the justice of his cause and the sincerity of igh officials, he says that he wanted to proceed at once to Cunton to present him-telt to the Viceroy. His friends, however, better advised perhaps, persuaded him to the contrary; ud then, once arrested, he was a Portuguese prisoner, avd was not free to leave Macio.
When he was arrested, those who were familiar with Portuguese jurisprudence id that he could not be detained beyond eight days; at the end of which time he would have to be set free, if not previously extradited.
Kight days passed, and King remained in prison. "Months passed, and the question still dragged on. Governor Galhardo went away, and left King in prison. Then came the memorable events in the north. Finally the case got out of the court, and the report of that tribunal was submitted to the Council governing ad interim. That body did not see fit to take it upon itself to set the prisoner free, and the case was referred, with all the documents, to} Lisbon.
Then came another spell of waiting. The new Governor came, but there was no news for the prisoner of the mountain. He passed the hot summer in confinement, and there he is still at the approach of winter, without a word from the Portuguese capital to show that any notice is taken of his case. It is true he is not! treated badly. He has the liberty of the Monte Fort, but being old and infirm, and accustomed to the conveniences and smenities of home life, with his family around him, he feels his confinement very much.
Bioreover, there would seem to be no further reason for his detention. The Dowager and her friends have enough to think of without caring for the punishment of an offence which events have thrown into the background.
Hoping that this statement of Mr. King's grievance may interest some of your readers Tam, yours, etc.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.