Memorandum of an interview between Mr. Wharton and Mr. Tsui.
The Chinese minister called to-day and said that he had received a telegram from the Chinese minister in London to the effect that on the 12th day of September a vessel arrived in Shanghai from Hongkong (nationality not stated), upon which the customs officers at Shanghai found thirty-five cases of arms among the freight and 5 pounds of dynamite among the baggage of an Englishman named Maying, who is deputy commissioner of customs at Chingkiang. This news was telegraphed to Peking, when the foreign office ordered an investigation through the inspector-general, Sir Robert Hart. Upon inquiry made, the deputy commissioner ascertained that an Englishman (Esmy by name) shipped the goods in question from Hongkong for the secret society at Chingkiang. Among the persons belonging to the society is an Englishman named Tyson, who is supposed to be the head of the society, and six other foreigners, all belonging to the same society. These persons live in Shanghai. The foreign office has communicated with the British minister in Peking, asking him to instruct the British consul at Shanghai to have these persons arrested. The minister says that the foreign office expresses much concern that after the trouble the Chinese Government has had to suppress the riots it should find foreigners inciting and aiding the rioters. There is nothing to show that any of the foreigners who are accused of being implicated in this transaction are citizens of the United States.
Acting Secretary.