307
Major General Gascoigne.
Thanks for the information as to the supposed murder at Wong Kong. The facts go no further than strong suspicion.
I quite agree with you in your appreciation of the position. We could not certainly try any person for a murder committed in the territory held in Military occupation. What you might not do it would be hard to say. It appears to me that you might do whatever seemed best to you even to the extent of executing the criminal if you tried & convicted him: but this is only my personal view.
Suppose for instance that an atrocious crime were committed upon an Englishman in the district. We should have no power to deal with it here. Would you allow the perpetrators to go free? or would you call upon the Chinese authorities to take up the case?
But assuming that you had undoubted proof that a serious crime such as murder had been committed in the district then I think it would be advisable to let the executive here know of it, not that the executive could take any action there but it might possibly affect persons & villages in our territory & necessitate increased vigilance just as it would be expedient for the executive of the colony to keep you informed of any crime that might affect the territory held in Military occupation. This in fact is not more than has heretofore been done by the Chinese Authorities & ourselves.
(Agay H. A. Blake.
17/8/99.
21a