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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 564
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[7793]
No. 1.
12538 [March 9:10
SECTION 6
REGE 10 APR 07.
Sir,
Admiralty to Foreign Office.~(Received March 9.)
Admiralty, March 7, 1907.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit herewith, for the information of Secretary Sir Edward Grey, copy of reports which have been received through the Commander-in-chief, China, from the Commanding Officers of His Majesty's ships "Flora," " Cadmus," and "Thistle" on the famine in China; also an extract from letter of the 23rd January received from the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's ship " Cadmus,” on the state of affairs at Nanking.
I
am, &c.
(Signed)
EVAN MACGREGOR.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
(Confidential.) Sir,
Captain Dalton to Vice-Admiral Sir A. Moore.
Flora," at Shanyhae, January 11, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith, for your information, reports from His Majesty's ships "Cadmus " and "Thistle" on the famine in the Kiangsu Province.
I have made many inquiries here, and have had long conversations with Sir Pelham Warren, the Consul-General, and also with Mr. Montagne Bell, the editor of the "North China Daily News," and late chief correspondent of the "Times" in South Africa, who is, in my opinion, a very able and cultured man, and, being new to China, will have certainly approached the subject with an impartial mind.
What I have heard bears out very largely the reports I am sending you, and all tends to show that at this period of the year famine conditions are normal in some part or other of the Great River basins.
The newspapers, or rather their correspondents, estimate the famine as affecting any number from 15,000,000 down to 5,000,000 people, the former being really the estimated total population of the Kiang-u Province.
From what I have heard, Lieutenant and Commander West's estimate might be halved. Nobody discussing the famine seems to be able to deal with anything less than a million.
If the Chinese Government would employ the able-bodied refugees on relief works, after the Indian method, the situation would be greatly improved.
Rear-Admiral Sah, of the Imperial Chinese Navy, tells me that clothing for the refugees is their principal need at present,
(Confidential.)
I have, &c.
(Signed)
H.
GRANT DALTON,
Captain and Senior Naval Officer.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Commander Majendie to Captain Dalton.
CC
Senior Naval Officer at Shanghae,
THE following report on the effect of the famine in Kiangpeh on the population of
Cadmus," at Shanghae, January 10, 1907. the river banks is submitted in accordance with your telegram of the 16th December, 1906 :-
Kiangpeh is the northern portion of Kiangsu Province. In this district, and in the north-eastern part of the neighbouring Province of Anhui, there is undoubtedly great distress, owing to the failure of the crops.
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