No. 37
91
:
Despatch No. 229.
HONGKONG.
DESPATCHES RESPECTING APPOINTMENT OF A CHINESE CONSUL AT HONGKONG.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government,
MY LORD,
on the 23rd November, 1891.
Officer Administering the Government to Secretary of State.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 15th July, 1891.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch No. 107 of the 21st of May stating that Her Majesty's Government had agreed to the appointment of Mr. Tso PING-LUNG, Chinese Consul at Singapore, to be Consul at Hongkong for one year on the understanding that he shall be withdrawn at the end of that time if the appointment should be found not to work well.
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2. With a view of making the announcement public I laid a copy of Your Lordship's despatch before the Legislative Council at its last meeting.
3. In the previous correspondence on the subject of this appointment Sir WILLIAM DES Vaux has referred fully to the objections which have always existed, and still do exist, on the part of the whole community of this Colony, and as it has nevertheless been decided to accede to the wishes of the Chinese Government I assume that what are deemed Imperial interests have in this matter over-ridden Colonial interests.
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Under these circumstances I refrain from adding my adverse opinion of the advisability of the appointment to the protests which have already reached Your Lordship, and can only declare myself ready to carry out Your Lordship's instruc- tions in the matter.
4. There are, however, several points upon which I shall be glad to have Your Lordship's directions, viz.:-
The Right Honourable
(1.) What are to be the duties and powers of the Consul ?
(2.) How will the position of the Registrar Generál be affected? Are the Chinese still to be taught to look upon him as the Protector of Chinese, or are they to be rather encouraged to place themselves under the protection of the Chinese Consul?
(3.) Is this Government to communicate in future with the Chinese Authorities through the Chinese Consul here instead of through Her Majesty's Consuls at the Treaty Ports?
At present this Government approaches the Viceroy of the Two' Kuang, resident in the neighbouring City of Canton, through Her Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, on all matters in which the assistance of the Chinese Authorities is required or on Chinese questions affecting the interests of the Colony. Şimilarly, the Government communicates direct with Her Majesty's Consuls at the Treaty Ports in China and with Her Majesty's Minister at Peking.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES.