This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
329
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[May 27.
C.0
SECTION 1
23426
Rac PAGE 12 JUN 12
Acting Consul-General Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received May 27.)
Canton, April 16, 1902.
(No. 35.) My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith copies of Mr. Consul Little's despatches to His Majesty's Minister in Peking, Nos. 5 and 6 of the 8th and 12th instant, giving further particulars regarding the disturbances in the interior, from which it will be seen that the Chinese authorities are gradually coping with the situation.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
JAMES SCOTT.
(No. 5.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Little to Sir E. Satow,
Wuchow, April 8, 1902. WITH reference to the disturbances in this Province, information reached me yesterday from a reliable source of two engagements in the Hsi-lin district, in which the bandits lost over twenty killed, besides sixteen beheaded on the spot, and two magazine rifles. The official loss was five men wounded. The bandits fled over the Yünnan border. In the same district and about the same time there was another conflict between the soldiers and the bandits in which the latter lost twenty-four men, two blunderbusses, and three magazine rifles. These bandits also fled over the Yunnan border. The former lost one killed and two wounded.
About the 5th or 6th instant a band of several hundred roving brigands from Lai Pin was attacked in that neighbourhood by the soldiers, who, being outnumbered, were only saved from disaster by the opportune arrival of reinforcements. The brigands then scattered, having lost a leader and ten men killed, besides some wounded, whom they carried off, The casualties on the official side amounted to one officer and three men killed, and nine wounded. The Knei-hsien and Lai Pin magistrates, who were in command, report that 3,000 rounds were fired during the conflict and that their stock of ammunition is almost exhausted. This band is estimated to number some 500 men, and appears to be identical with the one that attacked Ta Wan on the borders of the Wu- hsuan and Lai Pin districts a few days previously, on which occasion they lost thirteen killed and over twenty wounded,
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These details, although perhaps trivial in themselves, are not without interest as showing the character of the disorder and the strength of the opposing forces. The apparent absence of cohesion among the various bands, and the fact that they remain quiet for some time after a successful raid seem to clearly indicate that the disturbances present amount to nothing more than acts of brigandage, whilst the petty scale of the fighting, the small numbers engaged, and the almost uniform success of the official forces are not calculated to lead one to fear that the Provincial Government will be able to maintain its authority. There has certainly, in my opinion, been nothing in the disturbances to warrant their being described as a rebellion or rising. At the same time the disorder extends over a wide area, and in this lies a possible cause of more serious trouble in the future. The bandits appear to have considerable mobility and on being dispersed quickly reassemble at some place many miles distant. Being often too strong for the local officials, unaided, to deal with, it will be necessary, unless they can be cornered and finally broken up, to maintain a large force scattered at various points throughout the province, the cost of which may be beyond the financial resources of the
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