C.O.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 3.) Sir,
Canton, January 18, 1908. REFERRING to my despatch No. 2 of the 14th instant with regard to the settlement of the “Sainam" piracy claims, I have now the honour to inclose in English and Chinese, copy of my despatch in reply to the Viceroy acknowledging the payment of the amount agreed on. I think I have made it clear that, although the term "compassionate allowance" is used in Chinese, it includes indemnity to the ship.
I have, &c.
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Your Excellency,
(Signed)
Inclosure 5 in No. 1,
Consul-General Mansfield to Viceroy Chang.
Canton, January 10, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 9th instant on the subject of the compensation to the sufferers by the "Sainam" piracy.
At an interview on the 3rd instant with Taotai Wei Hun and Tantai Wen Tsung-yao it was agreed that compensation to the sufferers should be paid as follows:---
To the family of Dr. Macdonald Dollars. 61,768.77 To Captain Joslin and the other injured persons.. 18,300 To the owners of the "Sainam 6,400 Making in all a sum of 86,477.77 dollars or 62,264 taels,the receipt of which sum, inclosed in your despatch, I have the honour to acknowledge with thanks.
It was further agreed that the increased British patrol should be withdrawn, section by section, as Admiral Li Chun was prepared to take effective charge of each section. Any details with regard to the proper control of British launches, I shall always be prepared to discuss in a friendly spirit with Admiral Li Chun.
I trust you will, therefore, close the "Sainam " piracy case.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[9698]
(No. 68.)
No. 1.
[March 21.]
SECTION 5.
XCPR(08)357
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 21.)
Sir,
Peking, February 5, 1908. WITH reference to your telegram No. 62 of the 7th June and my despatch No. 287 of the 12th June, 1907, regarding the question of reintroducing the use of the bamboo as a punishment in the Mixed Court at Shanghae, I have the honour to inclose a copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General, transmitting copy of a letter upon this from the Chairman of the Shanghae Municipal Council to the Senior Consul subject.
I also have the honour to inclose a copy of the Circular issued by the Doyen of the Diplomatic Body on the 27th January, communicating this appeal to the Foreign Representatives.
It will be observed that Sir Pelham Warren fully indorses the arguments of the Municipal Council in favour of the proposed step, and I have no doubt that the increase of crime in the Settlement is due to the greater leniency in methods of punishment. But I felt quite convinced that it would not be the wish of His Majesty's Government to associate themselves with any direct initiative in urging upon the Wai-wu Pu the reintroduction of corporal punishment in the Mixed Court, and that this was a question which can only be solved satisfactorily by the force of local public opinion, foreign, and Chinese.
The Doyen of the Diplomatic Body (the Netherland Minister), as will be seen, has expressed himself in favour of carrying out the wishes of the Municipal Council, and other colleagues will doubtless share his view. I understand, however, that the American Chargé d'Affaires has expressed himself in harmony with my opinion.
It is possible that a solution may be found in the amendment of the Mixed Court Rules, the draft of which still lies in the hands of the Chinese Government, and which the pressure of other work has lately prevented me from urging upon their attention.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
(Signed)
I avail, &c. (Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Admiral Sir A. Moore to Sir J. Jordan.
Sir,
"King Alfred," at Hong Kong, January 20, 1908. WITH reference to my telegram of yesterday's date, I have the honour to forward herewith, for your Excellency's information, copy of a letter which I have forwarded to His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, relative to the withdrawal of the augmented British patrol from the West River and Canton Delta.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
A. W. MOORE.
Admiral Sir A. Moore to Consul-General Mansfield, January 20, 1908.
[Already printed.]
(No. 10.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Sir J. Jordan.
Shanghae, January 21, 1908. I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith a copy of a letter addressed on the 10th instant to the Senior Consul by the Chairman of the Shanghae Municipal Council, again urging the desirability of the reintroduction of the bamboo at the Mixed Court.
A previous letter from the Council on the same subject was forwarded to you with the Minutes of the Consular Meeting at which it was produced on the 29th April last, and on the 21st May I transmitted to you a Memorandum on the increase of crime in the Settlements by the British, American, and German assessors.
I can thoroughly indorse the arguments used by the Chairman of the Council in support of his contention. In the native city adjoining the Settlements, as in other parts of China, not only is the bamboo in common use as a means of punishment, but it is also freely employed to extract evidence from unwilling and recalcitrant witnesses. is not surprising, therefore, that the habitual criminal who dreads the bamboo far more than he does any other form of punishment, has found the Settlements of late a most congenial field for its depredations. The accommodation for prisoners, greatly as it has been increased of recent years, is no longer sufficient for the requirements of justice, and the Council must now face the burden of building a new gaol to meet an increase of crime which, owing to the abolition of blows as punishment, is totally out of proportion to the increase in the population under their control.
I have, &c. (Signed) PELHAM L. WARREN,
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