No. 66.
HONGKONG.
511
No. 32
DESPATCHES AND OTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE EXTENSION OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.
SIR,
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.
(Governor to Secretary of State.)
99.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 17th March, 1899.
I have the honour to inform you that Mr. WoNG TS'ÜN-SHIN, who was deputed by the Viceroy of Canton to assist in the delimitation of the northern boundary of the Kowloon extension, arrived on the 10th instant, and on the 11th had an inter- view with Mr. STEWART LOCKHART. He returned to Canton on the 12th instant to consult the Viceroy and came back on the 14th instant when he again met Mr. STEWART LOCKHART with a proposal that the Sham Chun river should form the boundary. This was the extreme limit to which he was permitted to go.
2. He came here with Mr. STEWART LOCKHART and we discussed the matter for over two hours. I endeavoured to show him that it would be to the mutual advantage of China and this Government to have Sham Chun and Shat'aukok included in the leased territory, and pointed out to him that, if they were, they would still be open for the Chinese to as great an extent as at present, while if they are not ceded they will be closed to the Chinese inhabitants of this Colony who have been in the habit of resorting to them; but it was clear that he had orders not to grant them. I then thought it well to have the river boundary for- mally agreed to as a provisional measure, leaving our pressing demand for the boundary of the base of the hills to the North open for further consideration at Peking. I wrote an agreeinent* which was signed by the Chinese Commissioner and Mr. STEWART LOCKHART. I have explained the situation fully to Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD and sent him a copy of the mapt of which I enclose a copy, being the only good survey of the boundary district that has yet been inade. The provi- sional boundary is marked in red, the proposed boundary in blue. I have no doubt that it would be a great convenience to this Colony to have the two towns named included. But pending the further negotiations on the point the fixing of the boundary to the river will enable me to take over the territory which I shall do as soon as the necessary preparations are complete for having a police force and a magistrate there. I shall inform you by telegraph when I can fix the date.
3. I hear conflicting accounts of the feeling of the people. The inhabitants. on the Deep Bay side do not bear a very good reputation, and it will be necessary to have a fair show of force when hoisting the flag.
4. I assume that all the public buildings belonging to the Chinese Government are to be handed over to this Government, and that all Chinese officials are to be removed from the leased territory and their powers and duties are to cease and determine from the moment that the flag is hoisted.
5. I enclose for your information copy of a letter addressed to me by Mr. STEWART LOCKHART and of its enclosures relative to the progress of his negotia- tions with the delimitation Commissioner appointed by the Chinese Government.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient, humble Servant,
The Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
$C.,
GC.,
* Enclosure No. 1.
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor, &c.
&c.
↑ Not printed.
Enclosure No, 2.