15. Mr. EDMUND HARVEYasked whether His Majesty's Government has yet received any report from His Majesty's Consul instructed to proceed to San Salvador to report upon the circumstances of the arrest of the Rev. J. S. Bowskill?
§ Mr. ACLANDA telegram was received on 20th April from Mr. Vice-Consul Bell, through the Acting Vice-Consul at Boma, stating that the Governor of the Congo accepts responsibility for the arrest of Mr. Bowskill, but has given no satisfactory reasons therefor. The trial will be held at Cabinda, and not at San Salvador, before a civil tribunal. I think that as the trial is pending it would be well not to give further details of Mr. Bell's report 1675 at present, or, at any rate, to wait till the dispatch from Mr. Bell is received giving a full account of his inquiry.
§ Mr. IAN MALCOLMHas the Foreign Office assured itself that Mr. Bowskill will be adequately represented at the trial?
§ Mr. ACLANDI do not know by whom he will be represented at the civil trial if a civil trial takes place, but we have made representations to ensure that the representation will be sufficient. If there is not proper help in the ordinary way we will try to see that he is assisted, if possible, by one of His Majesty's representatives.