162 LETTER FBOM TAO-TAI 



and enclosure, wliicli was sent to the Consul, showed 

 that she had attracted attention in a quarter where I 

 had not suspected it. 



' From " Fang " Tao-tai {of Chung-king). 



' Sir, — On the 1st I had the honour to receive from 

 H.E. the Viceroy " Ya " a despatch instructing me forth- 

 with to carry out the request contained in the enclosed 

 communication. 



' I have accordingly given the requisite orders to the 

 deputies of this office, and beg to acquaint you with 

 the communication referred to. 



' I have &c.' 



The Viceroy 'Ya' mentioned in the above is the 

 Viceroy of Sze-chuen, and the enclosure is as under : 



' Sir, — Wang-tsun-wen, Prefect of Chung-king, has 

 forwarded a representation from Chow Chow Chao 

 Ch'ng, magistrate of Pa Hshien, that on April 21 last 

 the Chiang-pu sub-prefect sent on under escort the 

 Englishman Pratt and the German trader Kricheldorff, 

 who had come to Chung-king prefecture in their small 

 foreign boat with a Chinese crew, and that on the 24th 

 they proceeded on their journey to Kia-ting-fu, saying 

 in reply to questions that they were purchasing goods 

 as thev went alono-. The Prefect submits that for 



