No.264.
NG KONG.
sir,
Government House,
Hong Kong,
26th May 1903.
204
losure No.1.
May 1903.
losure No.2.
closure No.3.
th May 1903.
With reference to my despatch No.245 of the
8th instant, I have the honour to inform you that fur-
ther information received from Mr Clementi confirmed the
statements made in his letters, copies of which were en-
closed with that despatch. A Public Meeting was held
here on the 20th instant, of which I enclose a very con-
densed report. It will be seen that at Kweiping a
general Gaol delivery of all but minor criminals had
been effected by decapitation, and the starving people
were eating the bodies. Where they were so emaciated
that no flesh could be cut off, the body was opened and
the heart and liver taken out while the blood was drunk.
Mr Clementi estimates the number of people needing re-
lief in the districts visited by him at about 319,000,
his estimate being formed from observation and from the
statements of Officials and Missionaries. He states
that the officials are doing everything in their power,
but the country is miserably poor and no taxes are being
collected. The Chinese Benevolent Societies in Canton
have subscribed One hundred thousand Taels, and the
United States Government has contributed Five thousand
dollars to a fund started by Mr McWade, the United
States Consul in Canton. I have the honour to enclose
a copy of a letter received by me from the Governor of
RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
etc.. etc.. etc.
Kwang