9
friendly character, but I felt it my duty to call upon him to take without delay the necessary steps, first, to have the placards removed and the person who wrote them brought to justice; second, to supply ample protection for the parties working on matsheds; third, to supply similar protection to parties surveying roads that we proposed to make for the benefit of the people. He said, "I will send a telegram to the San On Magistrate to do what you ask.” I said, “I must demand some- thing more definite from Your Excellency. As for the San On Magistrate I can expect no help from him. I am informed by Mr STEWART LOCKHART, our Com- missioner for delimitation, that he has been only a hindrance and thrown difficul- ties in the way of delimitation on every occasion. I must beg that Your Excel- lency will yourself give the necessary orders, and I must also beg that I be in- formed that they have been obeyed by Tuesday next, otherwise I will proceed to hoist the British flag and take over the territory on Wednesday. At present I do not propose to do so until the 17th instant when the matsheds will be ready for occupation,'
His Excellency, having consulted with several Mandarins at the table, said he did not think that all the men could be there before Wednesday. I said that I would not in that case make any move before Thursday, but while I knew how anxious His Excellency was to do everything in his power I was aware that in China orders are not always carried out with necessary promptitude. I would therefore impress upon His Excellency the necessity of my being informed on Wednesday that they had been carried out to prevent my acting on Thursday. I would also request that the San On Magistrate be ordered to personally visit the villages accompanied by other officials and issue a proclamation by order of His Excellency warning the people against disturbances or interference with any work. ing parties or surveyors. This His Excellency promised to do. I said I had a more pleasing duty to perform in assuring His Excellency that the Government of Hongkong had determined to bring in an Ordinance the effect of which, I hoped, would render opiam smuggling into China almost impossible, and also that I had issued a proclamation under the provisions of which I had prevented the export of arms to China. His Excellency expressed much pleasure at this information.
The interview, which had lasted over two-and-a-half hours, then ended. His Excellency apologised for being unable to return my visit as I informed him that I was returning to Hongkong forthwith. During the interview the Audience Hall was crowded, the place being apparently open to all-comers. Immediately after my return to the Consulate two mandarins arrived bearing the Viceroy's cards, who said that urgent telegrams had already been sent in accordance with iny request. I left Canton at 4.45 p.m. and arrived at Hongkong at 10 p.m.
I have the honour to be,
Sir, -
Your most obedient, humble Servant,
The Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&c.,
Fe..
Jc.
No. 88.
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor, &c.
(Governor to Secretary of State.)
SIR.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 7th April, 1899.
At midnight on the 3rd instant, I received a memorandum from Mr. MAY, the Captain Superintendent of Police, who had gone to Tái pó Hii in Mirs Bay to relieve two Police Constables whom he had left in charge of the matshed being built there for the accommodation of Police and Officials pending the erection of per- manent buildings, saying that an attack had been made upon him by the inhabit- ants; that he would hold the matshed until morning, but that he required assist- ance. I may explain that matsheds are houses constructed of bamboo, the sides and roof being covered with palm leaves.