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(Colonial Secretary's Second Minute of 18th April, 1899.)
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
SHEUNG TS'ÜN VILLAGE,
PÁT HEUNG VALLEY, 18th April, 1899, 3 p.m.
We left Táipó Camp at 10.30 a.m. and reached here at 12.30, pressing for- ward as rapidly as possible in order to come to the relief of Lieut. BARRETT, who had remained here. We passed through the Lam Ts'ün Valley over the Gap into the Pát Heung Valley, at the head of which the village of Sheung Ts'ün is situated. Lieut. BARRETT reports that there is a force of about 400 men lodged on a hill 4 miles distant. Colonel THE O'GORMAN does not propose to move the troops to-day unless the Chinese invite an engagement. If the inen are not moved to-day, it is proposed to make a movement to-morrow on the villages which are reported to be ready for attacking us. A leading man from Kam Tin has come in to ask for pardon, but he does not appear to be representing the villagers but himself. I am detaining him here pending further developments. If the troops had landed at Castle Peak Bay early this morning and advanced towards this point, the insurgents would have been caught in a trap and the Fame could have dealt with the runaways in the direction of Deep Bay. The villages through which we passed to-day were practically deserted, a few old women only appearing in each village as we went through. MAY and Ts'or are here with me. and MESSER have remained behind at Táipó. We are living in a temple, which makes a fairly comfortable abode, but the flies and mosquitoes are showing too much appreciation of our presence. There is no doubt now, I regret to say, that many of the leading villages bave taken part in resisting our troops. I am gather- ing what information I can on this point, but as you may imagine under present circumstances it is no easy matter to induce the natives to speak. I hope, however, to get at the bottom of the whole affair shortly. After we have dealt with this valley, in which are situated the villages of greatest importance and size, I anticipate the trouble will be practically ended and the civil administration will be able to proceed.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.
(Colonial Secretary's Message of the 18th April, 1899.)
THE GOVERNOR,
THOMSON
18th April, 1899, 10 p.m.
Since I sent my last message Chinese attacked our troops, who swept down the valley to a point 2 miles from Kam T'in. Casualties on our side nil; on side of Chinese not known. I was present throughout engagement, after which we proceeded to Kain T'in and blew down two gates of walled villages. We returned to Sheung Ts'in where we will remain to-night. To-morrow we proceed to Ün Long and Ping Shán, where we will stay for the night. SIMMONDS has arrived from Fan Ling: reports all quiet there. We are well though tired.
LOCKHART.
(Colonial Secretary's Minute of the 19th April, 1899.)
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
SHEUNG TS'ÜN VILLAGE, 19th April, 1899.
I enclose copy of message which I am sending to the Camp from here. We are just about to start for Un Long, where we will stay for the night. I hope we will also reach l'ing Shán and release any of the villagers detained on account of having come to Hongkong to kount w. I anticipate that after to-day the villages will have had enough of their resistance. Over a thousand men offered resistance yesterday, and, if their weapons had been of a modern type, would have given our troops a warmer time of it. Even as it was they showed great courage by the manner in which they fired their primitive weapons, several of which have been captured. The villagers have voluntarily surrendered their arms. SIMMONDS reached here last night. He met with no resistance in the Fan Ling Valley. He blew open the gate of a walled village.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.