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[Telephone Message.]
19th April, 1899.
GOVERNOR,
Arrived Ping Shán 1 p.m. to-day; no resistance of any kind offered either here or at Ha Ts'ün or at Ün Long which we visited. Rumoured that a British Force landed Deep Bay proceeded Castle Peak. We have neither scen it or been informed regarding it.
LOCKHART.
(Colonial Secretary's Minute of the 19th April, 1899 j
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
P'ING SHAN, 19th April, 1899, 6.30 p.m.
We left Sheung Ts'ün at 8.15 a.m. to-day. On reaching Kam Tin, sounds of what appeared to be Maxim gun firing in the direction of Ts'ün Wán were heard, so it was decided that Mr. Max and Captain BERGER with a body of men belong- ing to the Hongkong Regiment should go in the direction where the sounds of firing were heard, whilst the remainder of the party should proceed to Ping Shán. We reached here about 1 p.m., after a very hot and tiring march. We visited Ün Long on our way. No resistance was offered either there or by any of the villages we passed before we arrived there. Nearly all the villages, including Un Long, fired crackers and had a white flag flying, as a sign of submission. I made the leading traders in Ün Long appear before me and told them their action in taking part in the resistance to British authority would certainly involve them in trouble. The two main conspirators of Ün Long had fled and the inha- bitants professed to have no arms. This may be true as no doubt all their arms have been busily employed during the last few days. On arrival at Ping Shán we were met by a band of gongs and drums and many crackers were fired.
I sent for the elders and about six of them appeared before me. Among them the four men from Ping Shán, who kotowed to Your Excellency and who were reported to be under restraint. They informed me that they were not imprisoned, but threat- ened with their lives. I have found here distinct traces of this village having been mixed up in the disturbance. Powder, bullets, &c. were discovere in their ancestral temple. I called upon them to produce the large guns used by them to salute me when I paid a visit here last August, but they are not forthcoming, which is strong presumptive evidence that they have been used to resist our troops. At 1.30 p.m. we proceeded to the village of Ha Ts'ün, about a mile distant from here. We were met with a salvo of crackers, and two of the elders came out to receive us. One of them was among the party that kotowed at Government House. He said he had not been imprisoned, but had been unable to restrain the villagers. I demanded the production of the ringlenders. He said they had fled-one to Nam Tau and one to Canton. I asked him to surrender any arms there might be in the village, but none were produced. Some may be surrendered this evening. A villager of Ha Ts'ün informs me that British troops were at his village this morning, having landed from Deep Bay. This is the first intelligence we have received of the landing of additional troops. To-morrow it is proposed to allow the troops to have a rest which they much require and in the hope that we may receive definite information regarding the other body of troops. All of us are well.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.
(Colonial Secretary's Second Minute of the 19th April, 1899.)
7 p.m.
Captain BERGER and Mr. MAY have just found us here. They went to the top of the Ma On Kong Pass, overlooking Ts'ün Wán, which could not be seen on account of the fog. They sent a party to the top of the Tái Mó Shán Pass between Ts in Wán and Pát Heung. This party has returned to Sheng Ts'in, where there are 150 men of the Hongkong Regiment. We have 250 men here. present position therefore, so far as I know, is :----
20 men at Tái Đó Hi. 140 meu at Sheung Ts'ün. 250 men at Ping Shán,
The