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strment.
This brought about a complete change in the aspect and demeanour of the people. Those who had been most prominent in coming forward became sullen, morose, and in some cases, even actively hostile, probably with a view to saving their own lives or property in the event of our withdrawal.
His Excellency handed over the administration to my charge, and both he and I recognized that the position was one of extreme difficulty.
We were only in temporary military occupation and therefore could scarcely assume the civil internal administration of the country; and yet if outrages even by Chinese on Chinese were permitted to go unchecked, the evil might easily become a source of danger to the troops of occupation.
The Chinese civil administration, such as it was, had fled at our approach and to make it worse, the district in the best of times has a bad reputation. So much is this the case that only last year a Chinese Admiral arrived in this neighbourhood with an armed force to put down the violence of the district. He beheaded many and drove away many of the Triad Society, who by all accounts are responsible for most of the outrages and violence committed in China.
On our occupation, many of these ruffians, finding that the Chinese administration of law was in temporary chaos, returned to wreak their vengeance on those who had previously denounced them. All this increased the difficulty of the situation. I appointed Major T.J. Prendergast, Royal Engineers, to the command of the camp, and to the general administration of the neighbourhood and I desire to bring...
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