No.147.
Sir,
H.B.M.Consulate,
Canton, 8th December, 1899.
C.O.
5529
208
10 FEB
In view of the proposed Bill now under discussion by the Legislative Council for the purpose of amending and consolidating the law relating to the carriage and possession of arms and ammunition within the Colony of Hongkong, I trust it will not be considered inopportune if I lay before His Excellency the Governor the conclusions in connection with the object proposed that have been forced upon me during my short tenure of office as Her Majesty's Consul at Canton.
It is notorious that the greater portion, if not indeed practically the whole of the two Provinces of Kwangtung and Kwanghsi are at the present moment and have for a long time been, in a thoroughly disorganised state. More especially is this the case with respect to the country to the South of Canton and on the net-work of water-ways of which...
The Honourable
J.H.Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G.
Colonial Secretary
Hongkong.
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