This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24565]
No. 1.
[July 16.]
SECTION 1.
Consul Carlisle to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 16.)
(No. 8. Confidential.) Sir,
Hanoi, June 8, 1908.
IN continuation of my despatch No. 7 of the 27th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that the operations of the Chinese Imperial troops against the rebels on the Yunnan frontier have been the occasion of a regrettable incident, in which a French officer has lost his life, as well as several French native soldiers.
In my despatch referred to above I reported that the main body of the fighting strength of the rebels had evacuated Hokou and marched up the railway line. They avoided the Government troops who were coming down by that route by crossing to the eastern side of the Nam Ti. It is said that several of them were drowned during the passage of the river. They then seem to have broken up into bands, some of which came into French territory and surrendered, while others dispersed themselves about the country. As soon as the troops had occupied Hokou on the 26th May a force was sent out after these rebels, and proceeded to scour the country in search of them.
On the 3rd June the Chinese troops, having come upon a party of revolutionaries, were pursuing them near Phalong, a French frontier post some 30 miles north-east of Laokay. The post is garrisoned by a company of "Tirailleurs Tonquinois." A young French lieutenant, by name Weigand, was dispatched with a detachment of tirailleurs to observe the movements of the opposing forces, and to prevent any violation of the frontier. What happened is not clearly known at present, the only European witness being dead. It seems that the lieutenant, keeping to the French side of the frontier, proceeded parallel to the revolutionaries as they retreated before the Chinese troops. At last the former, probably hard pressed, crossed the frontier. Lieutenant Weigand immediately took them prisoners and proceeded to disarm them. Whether the Chinese troops were then about to attack the prisoners and the lieutenant interfered or what exactly occurred is not at present known, but at all events the Chinese fired, and with such effect that the officer and six of his men were killed and four others wounded. The bodies were not recovered until the next day.
A colonel has been sent up from Hanoi to make an inquiry into the exact circumstances of the case. Two companies of native troops have been sent to the spot. The European troops who had been stationed at Laokay after the outbreak of the revolution had been withdrawn again on the recapture of Hokou.
The Governor-General has reported the matter to the French Minister at Peking, with a request for the punishment of the parties responsible. The Minister has replied that the Chinese Government say that they will inquire into the allegations of the Government of Indo-China, and, if found true, will give satisfaction. I have reason to believe that the Governor-General has demanded the capital punishment of the Chinese officer in command of the party.
At first there seems to have been some doubt as to whether the spot where the outrage occurred was actually in French territory or not. The French Resident of Laokay, as soon as the event was known, was instructed to demand explanations from the chief Chinese commander in his vicinity. Instead of doing so immediately he wired that there was some uncertainty as to the position of the scene of the incident with regard to the frontier, and that he was proceeding to make inquiries, which brought upon him a rebuke from Hanoi, and a request that he would carry out his instructions forthwith. I have now been informed by a high official of the Government-General that the position of the spot has been verified, and that it is at least 500 mètres on the French side of the frontier.
The news of this occurrence has naturally caused great indignation here. It has been frequently said that the arrival of Chinese Government troops on the frontier was
[1865 q--1]
399