rue
Ty in A
724
Hon Col Sec.
Under the circumstance explained by Gen. Gascoigne
I approve of your not coming in. You will remember in
the operations that the new Territory comes within the terms of the Arms Ordinance and no person in that territory
is entitled to have or possess arms. It will therefore
be your duty to discover any arms and confiscate
them. The troops acting in support of the civil power
will have authority to search and disarm. As to the
movement of the troops in the suppression of active
opposition and armed attacks upon H M's forces you will
be guided entirely by G.O.O. who returns to Tai Po Hut
this evening. I am informed by Dep. Wang that there are
some Chinese soldiers stationed in the district, who
have not yet received orders to remove. I shall ask for
information as to the towns and villages to which they
have been ordered. If you find them in those villages
in the number stated you will direct them to proceed
forthwith to Sham Chun except that you will find them
participating in any movement against our authority in
which case they should be made prisoners. In the event
of prisoners being taken with arms in their hands they
should be forwarded to Hong Kong,
I send copies of last 2 letters from the Viceroy
as the troops advance it may be well to pitch on the
best for the police station near Kam Tin without regard
to the local objection.
(Inta) H.A.B.