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"... left then China, but since a couple of weeks the leaders of the robbers are returning again. Especially the neighbourhood of Sha-T'au-Kok is disturbed by some of the worst members of the Triad Society. The Chinese there say, 'Why does the English Government not issue a proclamation to prohibit people to enter this secret society?' The Triad men have there their nightly meetings. This should not be allowed to go on in this way; we here hear nearly day by day of robberies and cases of waylaying. The most disturbed country is the Sam Chun valley. Since the question of retrocession of this region was brought up, all is out of order in this our neighbourhood. The law-abiding Chinese are always asking us, 'How long will this state of uncertainty still keep on?' They say, 'Why does the Government not definitely settle the frontier question?'
What the Chinese of this region and the New Territory want is a strong hand to keep the population in order. They can't govern themselves. Major Prendergast has taken a good deal of trouble to help the merchants of the large marketplace to get a local government, but all was in vain.
Since I hear a good deal of the groanings of the Chinese, I, as a good friend of England, and one who is very anxious that the good prestige of Great Britain may not be lost, am very sorry and take now the liberty to write to you about what is going on in our neighbourhood.
Yours &c.
(Signed) Mart. Schaub,
Basel Missionary.