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Commerce Abroad, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong, inclosing a copy of a letter which he has received from Colonel Gordon, expressing his opinion with regard to the position of affairs in China, and with respect to the enlistment of Chinese to supplement the regular forces which are maintained for the defence of Hong Kong.
I am to add that these papers have also been communicated to the Foreign Office and the War Office, and that Lord Kimberley has been informed, by a telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong, dated the 31st July, that Colonel Gordon has entered the service of the Government of China.
Appendix No. 4.
HONG KONG.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
Inclosure 1 in No. 92.
Governor Sir J. P. Hennessy to the Earl of Kimberley:
J
(Secret and Confidential.) My Lord,
Government House, Hong Kong, July 5, 1880.
I INCLOSE, for your Lordship's information, a copy of a letter I received from Colonel Gordon on his arrival here yesterday morning, in which he refers to the defence of Hong Kong. When he came to see me in the afternoon I had an opportunity of hearing his views somewhat more in detail on the question of enlisting Chinese in the Colony to supplement the regular forces. He is probably the best living authority on the subject, and it was satisfactory to find that he concurred in the views I expressed to Sir Michael Hicks Beach in my despatch of the 6th March last.*
2. He suggests beginning with 250 Chinese infantry, and organizing this force so as to admit of its increase to 1,000. He also recommended an artillery corps of 100 or 200 Chinese.
3. I read to him paragraph 13 of my despatch of the 6th March, in which I express the opinion that the Chinese of Hong Kong should form the material for its defence in the shape of soldiers, and, having told him that I did not yet know your Lordship's views on the point, I said I should be glad to learn whether he would be disposed to undertake the task of organizing the defence of the Colony on that basis, if your Lordship should ultimately think proper to favour such a suggestion. He said, if not otherwise employed, he would willingly do so.
4. The idea of his entering the colonial service with that object is, of course, at this moment, a merely speculative one. He is now on his way to Peking, and is likely to be employed by the Chinese Government. Even if he made no engagement with the Chinese Government, he mentioned a difficulty which might arise if he were offered employment in Hong Kong, namely, that the officer in command of Her Majesty's regular forces, as long as any Imperial troops were kept in the Colony, should not be his master, and that he should, in fact, be directly under the Governor. No doubt all local corps are directly under the control of the Governor, as pointed out in the Duke of Newcastle's Circular despatch of the 6th April, 1863; but, nevertheless, difficulties may occur, as long as there were two commanding officers in the Colony. On the other hand, the special duty of Colonel Gordon would be to raise and establish a local corps, without the idea of permanently retaining the command.
5. The first part of the inclosed letter of Colonel Gordon refers to an important question which has only an indirect concern for the Governor of Hong Kong; but, writing to your Lordship in this somewhat unreserved form, I may, perhaps, be excused for saying that I believe the interests of England are more on the side of keeping China strong than of allowing her to be weakened. My few years' experience in this part of the East convinces me of the soundness on this subject also of Colonel Gordon's views.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. POPE HENNESSY.
My dear Sir John,
Inclosure 2 in No. 92.
Colonel Gordon to Governor Sir J. P. Hennessy.
Hong Kong, July 4, 1880. THANK you very much for your kind invitation, which, however, as my stay will be very short, I will not take advantage of, but I will call on you this afternoon.
Before doing so, I will explain my position. The day after I resigned my appointment with Lord Ripon I received a telegram from Hart saying "the Peking Government wished me to visit them.” I asked our Government " for leave of absence beyond the end of this month " (which I already had) "to the end of year." They replied that they did not know why I was going. I replied, “Neither did I." So they said, "In the ignorance they were, they disapproved of my going to China." I replied "that I would not involve them," and offered my resignation. At Galle the Government telegraphed, "Your leave is granted." So that is how matters stand now.
I had meant to have written your Excellency a Memorandum on the question of the armament of China. Our Government will have to face this question ere long.
1. Is it our policy to help China to organize her forces? I mean by help only countenance her in this direction. China would never accept, nor would it be desirable for our Government to do more
than countenance
N.B.---A strong-armed China would be certain to be extremely independent towards every foreign nation; she might denounce the opium trade.
[1103]
* Inclosure 1 in No. 88.
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