Tue 22nd
To
716
Ping Shan
24. 4. 99
Your Excellency.
This afternoon a messenger arrived at this village with a bundle of notifications in the name of the Viceroy of the two Kwang and the Governor of the Kwong Tung Province; I immediately had him detained and on examining him found that he had been sent by the Magistrate of the San On District to post notifications of the Viceroy and Governor at 12 places in our territory. I attach a copy of the statement made by the man before me: a copy of the order issued by the San On District Magistrate with a translation; and one of the notifications with a translation.
It is a curious coincidence that the date of the notification is the 19th April when the rebels had been defeated. It is also peculiar that all the places where the notices were to be posted, are places which took part in resisting the British Troops, with the exception of Kap Shui Mun.
The Viceroy had no right to send notices issued by him into our territory and both he and the San On District Magistrate should be called to account.
I will detain the man pending further instructions. I will of course see that he is properly cared for.
As you will observe from the man's statement he had not posted any of the notices before being detained.
(sd.) Stewart Lockhart
Col Sec.