(Translation.)
SIR,
19
ENCLOSURE.
(Viceroy T'an to Mr. Consul Mansfield.)
April 10, 1899.
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch stating that the Governor of Hongkong proposes to take over the New Territory on April 17.
The Kowloon Kuan is Chinese territory, but, on account of the friendship existing between England and China, it has been leased to England. On April 2, when the Governor of Hongkong came to Canton to see me, I firmly insisted that the Customs Stations could on no account be removed, to which the Governor of Hongkong personally agreed. Just as he was leaving, I again said that it was not necessary to allude to the question of the removal of the Customs.
The Governor of Hongkong also said that it was not necessary to mention this again, and that he had only to ask me to send soldiers to the place to restore order. I forthwith sent 600 men take up their quarters at Kowloon, thus paying due regard to friendly relations.
Yesterday in a telegram (marked Yen) from the Tsung-li Yamên it was stated that a despatch had been received from the British Minister to the effect that the Chinese Customs could not be allowed to remain within the New Territory. Thus the agreement made between WANG WEI-YUAN and Mr. LOCKHART and the state- ments of the Governor of Hongkong, made at the interview of April 2, are in- sufficient as proof, and we will cease to discuss the proposition to take over the territory on the 17th.
I beg you to at once inform the Governor of Hongkong that it will be needless for him to proceed to Kowloon on the 17th.
I have, &c.,
[Seal of Viceroy.]
ENCLOSURE No. 2 IN GOVERNOR'S DESPATCH No. 93 OF THE 15TH APRIL, 1899.
(Colonial Secretary, Hongkong, to Mr. Consul Mansfield, Canton.)
No. 22.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 13th April, 1899.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant enclosing copy of a despatch addressed to you by the Viceroy on the subject of the removal of the Chinese Customs from the New Territory leased to Great Britain by the Chinese Government.
His Excellency the Governor regrets to find that the Viceroy has so entirely misunderstood the repeated statements made to him on the subject at the interview between their respective Excellencies on the 2nd instant, as nothing could have been more distinct than the Governor's emphatic statement to the Viceroy that the Customs' Stations could not be permitted to remain in the leased Territory.
Under authority received from Her Majesty's Government, His Excellency the Governor has made arrangements to take over the administration of the leased Territory on the 17th instant, and will hoist the British Flag at I p.m. on that date at Tải pó Hi.
His Excellency will, therefore, be glad if His Excellency the Viceroy will depute an Officer of suitable rank to be present at the ceremony as a mark of the cordial relations that exist between the two nations.
As the entire administration will be assumed by this Government on the 17th instant, the necessity for the presence of Chinese troops in the New Territory will cease on that date and their place will be taken by British troops and Police.
The functions of all Chinese Officials will, of course, cease at the same time, and no doubt arrangements will be made by the Viceroy for their withdrawal on the 17th instant.