Mr. Parkes At Once Sent A Letter To Yeh On The Subject Of This "Very Grave Insult," Requesting That The Captured Crew Of The "Arrow" Should Be Returned To That Vessel Without Delay, And That Any Charges Made Against Them Should Be Then Examined Into At The English Consulate.

In his reply Commissioner Yeh justified and upheld the act of his subordinates.

Of the twelve men seized, he returned nine, but with regard to the three whom he detained, he declared one to be a criminal, and the others important witnesses. Not merely would he not release them, but he proceeded to justify their apprehension, while he did not condescend to so much as notice the points of the insult to the English flag, and of his having violated treaty obligations. Yeh did not attempt to offer any excuse for the proceedings taken in his name. He asserted certain things as facts which, in his opinion, it was sufficient for him to accept that they should pass current. But the evidence on which they were based was not sufficient to obtain credence in the laxest court of justice; but even if it had been conclusive it would not have justified the removal of the crew from the "Arrow" when the British flag was flying conspicuously at her mast. What, in brief, was the Chinese case? It was that one of the crew had been recognized by a man passing in a boat as one of a band of pirates who had attacked, ill-used, and plundered him several weeks before.

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Words from 120588 to 120847 of 191255