Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Police Report respecting Disturbances in Hong Kong,
Sir,
Central Police Station, November 3, 1908. DETECTIVE-SERGEANT HAU HANG has informed me as follows: "On Saturday last, the 31st ultimo, twenty-five Chinese came from Canton by the day boat, who were sent by the National Disgrace Society' to carry out the work of the following two days in the interests of the boycott movement. Of these twenty-five persons, one had had his queue cut, and was dressed in European attire. On arrival here they all put up at various places, in brothels at Shek Tong Tsui and other places. The man without the queue purchased several hundred of small abacus frames, suitable for carrying in the pocket, at the rate of 40 cents per 100. (One herewith.) The modus operandi was this: The twenty-four men were provided with an abacus cach, which they carried in their pocket until arriving at the scene of conquest. There had been enlisted into the service of these twenty-five men about 100 Chinese, composed of coolies, who usually do the work of carrying ammunition for the military authorities to the rifle ranges, and of vegetable hawkers, mostly unlicensed, who, at a given signal from one of the twenty-four, by shaking the abacus when at the door of any place that showed or contained Japanese goods, pointed out to them by the leader, by his saying: Here are Japanese goods,' would proceed to burst into the place indicated and smash up things, then walking away and leaving the goods to be picked up by the rabble as loot.
"Of the twenty-five of them, twenty-four of them are expected to leave either for Macao or Canton to-day, taking back with them the beads of the abacus, the frame having been discarded, to show that they have been successful, and to enable them to receive the reward of 20 dollars, which awaits them from the Society at Canton. Each of them has a letter from the Society, for the double object of showing their identity in case of being shot in any mêlée here, when the people of the deceased would receive 500 dollars from the Society, and for the purposes of identity of those returning to Canton to earn the reward. The twenty-fifth man is believed to be resident in Hong Kong."
I attach a letter received by Iau Hang through the post this morning. He and a party of detectives are now watching the Macao steamer, and will later watch the Canton steamers, with a view of having any of the twenty-four identified, if possible.
One of the men shot yesterday is Un Ch'an, 22, late address, No. 12, First Street, 1st floor, who, with his uncle, Un Shang, alias I Sha Lo, lived at that address. The uncle also took part in the rioting, but has fled.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Sir,
J. W. HANSON,
Chief Detective Inspector.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. Lagard to Sir C. MacDonald.
Government House, Hong Kong, November 4, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to confirm my telegram which I dispatched to you on the 2nd instant, and of which I inclose a copy en clair. I regret to inform you that on Sunday and Monday, 1st and 2nd November, serious rioting broke out in this Colony in connection with the Japanese boycott. It would appear, so far as I am at present able to judge, that the fact that the boycott was becoming inoperative here and that rumours of its complete abandonment at an early day had gained credence had prompted the National Disgrace Society" at Canton to dispatch a body of men to organize a riot here and to destroy the property of Chinese merchants and tradesmen who dealt in Japanese goods. In reference to this, I inclose a copy of report made to me by the police to-day.*
2. The organization was directed solely against Chinese vendors, and I have heard of no instance in which a Japanese shop was injured. The riot attained such dimensions that I was under the necessity of calling out troops to restore order. I am taking drastic steps to deal with those Hong Kong Chinese who have connived at or
* Inclosure 3.
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3
instigated this outrage, and to put a forcible end, if that should be possible, to the continuance of the boycott.
3. I shall be obliged if you will explain to the Government of His Imperial Majesty my great regret that this Colony should have been the scene of an émeute prompted by ill-feeling towards Japan, even though it originated from a city in China, and was so cleverly and secretly planned as to be a complete surprise to this Colony,
4. I leave it to your consideration and discretion how far you may judge it to be advisable to communicate the details of which I have informed you to the Japanese Government. I should be sorry to inflame the feeling in that country against China, but at the same time I consider it as I am sure your Excellency will--to be of great importance that the Japanese Government should be made fully aware that the origin and cause of this disturbance did not emanate from this British Colony. The partici- pation of Canton emissaries is already reported in the local press, and the Japanese Consul will no doubt advise his Government of the whole circumstances so far as he may know them. No Japanese were attacked.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. Lugard to Sir C. MacDonald.
F. D. LUGARD.
(Telegraphic.)
Hong Kong, November 2, 1908. REGRET to inform you that riot broken out to-day in connection with boycott. No effort will be spared to prevent further disturbance. Matter being investigated. Convicted ringleaders will be punished severely.
Sir,
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Governor Sir F. Lugard to Sir J. Jordan,
Government House, Hong Kong, November 4, 1908. I REGRET to inform your Excellency that on Sunday and Monday last this Colony was the scene of an organized riot, having for its object the destruction of the shops and goods of Chinese vendors of Japanese articles. From the inclosed copy of a despatch which I have addressed to the Consul-General at Canton, your Excellency will see that the affair was apparently organized from that city with such secrecy and skill as to have taken the police of this Colony completely by surprise. The riot attained such dimensions that I was under the necessity of calling out troops to restore order.
2. I leave to your Excellency's discretion the nature of the representations which you may judge it best to make to the Chinese Government as to what has occurred. I need not point out that the selection of Hong Kong for the scene of the outrage is calculated, and was possibly intended, to jeopardize British relations with Japan, while the originators at Canton hoped to evade the consequences which might have arisen had the affair occurred in that city. In this connection I have the honour to inclose copy of a despatch I have addressed to His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador at Tokiô,“ I have the honour to request that your Excellency will, in the strongest terms, urge upon the Chinese Government the imperative necessity for taking fully adequate measures for preventing the recurrence of an act so prejudicial to the good relations existing between our respective countries.
*Inclosure 4.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
F. D. LUGARD.
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