The letter, part of which was permitted to be read, stated that plaintiffs' terms were impossible and the present libel charge was lodged in anticipation of an action
contemplated bringing. His clients which the Seamen's Union had
were prepared to withdraw their charges if a public admission of plaintiffs' errors was made in the {Chinese press, and if an apology were forthcoming to Mr. Lin.
"We deny that these are insulting attacks," said counsel. They were provoked by scandalous statements and slanders made by plaintiffs in the Chinese press which the Union could not do otherwise than repudiate. They are the truth and we are prepared to prove them."
The Assessor: They are libellous whether they are the truth or not. The greater the truth, the greater the libel.
Mr. Hartigan continued to explain that the object of the notice: was td notify the public that plaintiffs had been expelled from the Union and were, therefore, not qualified to represent the Union any longer, especially in connexion with the collection of subscriptions. He submitted that there was no' libel at all.
The case was adjourned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.