56
Governor to Colonial Secretary.)
HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
HONGKONG, 26th April, 1899.
With reference to the Viceroy's messenger, release him. He has committed no offence. You were quite right to prevent the posting of notices. Those, if any, posted in Castle Peak District should be removed. The Attorney General has prepared the draft of an Ordinance giving to any Magistrate or Justice of the Peace power on information laid to summon before him any person and, after hearing evidence, to order him to find sureties to be of the peace and good behaviour for a given term or in default to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding six months. I fancy that you are a Justice of the Peace either by Commission or in virtue of your office. If not, I shall gazette you and antedate your Commission.
I agree with you that a fair rent should be paid for the house occupied by the police. I am glad to learn that you find matters settling down. If the Chinese doctor has returned he might be found useful. There must be many wounded men in the hill villages requiring medical assistance.
I regret very much to hear of the serious injury to Major WATSON, R.A.M.C., from an attack by a buffalo.
I have carefully considered all the circumstances of the murder. With the evidence that you have obtained it appears to me that there will be grounds upon which to offer a large reward for such evidence as will lead to the arrest and con- viction of any of the offenders. You have the names of several, for whose arrest warrants can be obtained. This will mark very clearly that the law is not dead. The clan or village can always be reached under the system of enforcing payment for special police force. I see it stated that the murdered man was sent in by Government. I did not know this; but even had he been so sent, there was noth- ing to show you that there was the slightest danger to be apprehended. On the contrary, the reports received were to the effect that the people were ready to receive the British rule gladly. The police stations will be proceeded with as quickly as possible. I hope that the arrangements for the administration will soon be begun.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
(Colonial Secretary's Minute of the 25th April, 1899.)
PING SHÁN, 25th April, 1899.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
We are just about to start for Fan Ling, having been here since Wednesday, the 19th instant. The result of our stay has been most satisfactory as I am able to report that the inhabitants of the most important and of the most rowdy districts in the new territory are now peacefully pursuing their usual avocations. The districts to which I refer are the Castle Peak District, Ha Ts'ün District, Ping Shán District, Sháp Pát Heung District with Ün Long at its head, Kam Tin District, and Pát Heung District
Two sets of iron gates, belonging to the Kam T'in District, have been carried by the inhabitants of that district to Flagstaff Hill. This has had an excellent effect. The walls of the villages at Kam Tin have not been pulled down; only the entrances to two of the villages having iron gates have been blown up. Lieutenant BARRETT or Mr. MAY will be able to explain exactly what has been done.
NG K'1-CH'EUNG and TANG Ló-PAN, two of the ringleaders in the recent move- ment, whose statements I forwarded to you yesterday, have returned to their villages after having found security in $2,000 each to appear whenever called upon. I attach a translation of the Bond* signed by them and their 5 securities. As I informed you yesterday, it is absolutely necessary that a rule should be passed giving power to demand security.
*Enclosure No. 1.