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(Colonial Secretary's Minute of the 11th May, 1899.)
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
TÁI Pó Hử, 11th May, 1899.
On arrival at Sheung Shui on the 25th April last, I caused the house of Liu WAN-KUK, who was absent from the village, to be searched, as I had reason to believe he had taken a leading part in organising the resistance against the British in the Sheung Ü District.
In his house were found the following documents of which I attach copies and a translation*:-
Book B gives a list of the villages which subscribed towards the pur-
chase of arms.
Book C shows what grain, &c., was sent to the Temple at Shek Ú near
Sheung Shui.
Book D gives an entry of moneys received.
Book E contains entries of payments made.
Book F contains an account of payments made for carrying letters, and among the payments are those for letters couveyed to Wong Pui Ling: U Pui: Lo U: Heung Sai: Ts'oi Uk-wai: Sheung Pó: Shat'aukok: Wong Kong: and Shat'au, which places are outside our boundary, as will be seen on reference to the Sketch Map, which I attach,
From Sheung Shui I proceeded to Fan Ling, where I met LIU WAN-KUK. He made a Statement of which I attach a translation.†
From Fan Ling I returned to Sheung Shui and on my way caused the "Governor's Temple" at Shek U to be searched. That temple is used as a meet- ing-house. A heap of papers was found in an incense burner, the papers having been torn into small pieces. I had the pieces collected and carefully put together. The result is the correspondence (Nos. 1-10) of which I attach a translation. The correspondence is in the handwriting of LIU WAN-KUK.
Letter No. 8 in this correspondence is interesting as showing that Sham Chun in Chinese territory was a centre of organisation. This must have been known to the Chinese officials there.
The translation of the accounts, No. 10,§ corroborates Book F and shows that active communication was being maintained between Sheung Shui in our territory and the places shown in the sketch map, in Chinese territory, which are under- lined in the translation.
*
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
ENCLOSURE No. 2 IN COLONIAL SECRETARY'S MINUTE
OF THE 11TH MAY, 1899.
1.
A PUBLIC NOTICE.
The following regulation was decided upon at the meeting held this day in the temple dedicated to a former Governor of the Kwong Tung province in the Sheung U Division:-
"No village in our Division is allowed to export grain. If any one secretly attempts to export grain he will be arrested and the grain so seized will be handed over to and stored in the Governor's temple and used hereafter for commissariat purposes. The trade in live-stock, pawnbroking, etc. will be allowed to proceed as usual."
This notice is issued from the Governor's temple by the Committee of the Sheung Ü Division.
* Not printed.
Enclosure No. 1.
Enclosure No. 2.
§ Not printed.