16th June.
'THE Municipality are to be con gratulated on the firm stand made by the Senior Consul, Dr. Knappe, in the matter of the Tuotai's action in reference to the police supervision of the Mixed Court, and the refusal to allow female Chinese prisoners to be placed in the new Municipal gaol. Dr. Knappe's letter of the 5th of June to the Taotai is a clear, strong, and unanswerable statement of fact, one sentence in it summing up the situation in well-chosen and memorable terms: "The Consular Body consider it. necessary to exercise a more substantial supervision until they are convinced that the magistrate will carry on' the treaties and ageements not according to the letter but also to the spirit" The Taotai's absurd claim that the Mixed Court is exempt from municipal control, under the original Land Regulations, is dealt with by Dr. Knappe with equal clearness und terseness; he might also have pointed out that the Mixed Court was not thought of when that, provision was agreed to. Dr. Knappe's letter of the 6th instant, re female convicts, is equally to the point. He shows that the Taotai was asked to inspect the Municipal' Gaol, with Dr. Knappe, to see how well the female convicts would be treated, and he was also asked to inspect with Dr. Knappe the female prison at the Mixed Court. The Tavtai declined in both instances and referred Dr Knappe to a report mate by the Mixa Court magistrate, " which is not yet forthcoming," and added that he had given orders for the immediate reformation and enlargement of the Mixed Cour prison. Dr. Knappe's reply to this is so goo! that it is well worth quoting again in full 8 sufficient evidence that the of the prison is not up-to-date and does not meet the requirements. At the same time, the colls of the Municipal Goal for females are empty because you refuse to give permission to use them.
"The Consular Body are of opinion that, if the cases of kidnapping are delayed in the Mixed Court, it is only and solely your fault especially if you take into consideration, that all the Foreign Minister prepare and submit expenses for the prison are borne by the to the Crown Foreign Affairs, also Municipality. on behalf of Norway. The appointed "T have been instructed by my col-ambassadors undertook also to reteidion provisionally to soud the fetalo to request to give your per-present Norway abroad as Swedish-riseners to the Municipal Gsol until the norwegian ambassadors, and the fixed Court prison will be reformed and same was the case with the Consuls." according to the requirements Hine ihe of civilisation."
Yhe Consular question began to be acute twenty years ago, and in 1891 the Norwegian Government
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.