Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/237

 ereat you repudiated Mr. Wylie’s public statement of what had fallen from you at your conference with the Committee of the Demonstration, and said that your statement to such Committee was to this effect: That, if the Ministers were unable to cope with a Durban riot, they would be unfitted to hold office, and would resign.

At your conference with Mr. Laughton, you also laid down the following propositions as recognized by the Government:


 * 1. That upon the requirements of the quarantine being carried out, pratique must be granted to the steamers Courland and Naderi,


 * 2. That upon pratique being granted, the steamers were entitled to discharge their passengers and cargo at the wharf, either by the steamers themselves being brought inside or by means of tugs and lighters.


 * 3. That the Government is responsible for the protection of passengers and cargo from the violence of rioters.

On the other hand, you were informed by Mr. Laughton that, inasmuch as Indians had to dwell in this Colony with Europeans, our clients recognized it as desirable that, in the landing of passengers, as little as possible should be done which would tend to intensify a feeling, which at present apparently exists amongst a certain class of Europeans against the Indians; and, therefore, that he felt sure, that our clients would co-operate with the Government to the extent of postponing the disembarkation for a reasonable time to enable the Government to make proper arrangements.

We are instructed to inform you that the time of quarantine expires today, and that, under ordinary circumstances, our clients would have proceeded with disembarkation today, but that they are willing to postpone it for a reasonable time to suit the convenience of the Government, provided the loss sustained by them in so doing, that is to say £150 per dies, is borne by the Government.

We trust you will see the reasonableness of this proposal, and that it will be adopted by the Government.

We draw your attention to the fact that several gentlemen holding Her Majesty’s commission in Volunteer Forces are organizing the intended riot, called by them a “Demonstration”, and have allowed themselves to be advertised in the newspapers and by placards, as being in command of sections of the intending rioters; also, that Captain Sparks has taken the same means of advertising himself as the Chief in command of the proposed riot.

We would most respectfully and reluctantly give it as our opinion that, if the organization had at an earlier stage been proclaimed as illegal, instead of being allowed to swell itself under false hopes, the same excitement would not now exist, and there would have been little difficulty in landing the passengers in due course; and that the organization, or the objects of it, having been publicly declared to have the sympathy of the Gov