Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/221

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stances, any ship or vessel may be partially or wholly, exempted from the operation of law, and a petition is being prepared to His Excellency with the object of showing that such exceptional circumstances exist, and I am desirous of introducing a deputation to His Excellency to present the petition, and of myself appearing before His Excellency as Counsel for the shipowners in support of their petition.

The vessels are being detained at an expense to the respective owners of one hundred and fifty pounds per diem, and they are, therefore, anxious to appear before His Excellency on as early a day as he will be pleased to appoint. I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Sd.) F. A. LAUGHTON

32 This should be the other way round. The Courland left on the 30th and the Naderi on the 2th November.

(APPENDIX G)

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DURBAN,
December 22, 1896

DEAR MR. LAUGHTON,

The Governor desires me to say that, although in such a matter of administration as quarantine, he will, of course, refer to ministers for advice, he will, if it is still wished, receive a deputation tomorrow in Pietermaritzburg, of gentlemen interested in the Subject.

Yours faithfully,

F. A. LAUGHTON, ESQ. (Sd.) HARRY ESCOMBE

(APPENDIX H)

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TO

{{center|HIS EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE SIR WALTER FRANCIS HELY-HUTCHINSON, KNIGHT