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including the houses of the European Railway Staff. The only European present escaped to British Territory. The remaining stations on the Chinese Section are said to be deserted and the police disbanded: attempts to send special trains through were fruitless. The frontier Police Stations in the New Territories
were strengthened. On the 10th. the Magistrate of the San On district reached British territory in rags and in a state of abject terror. He became insane and was placed in the Lunatic Asylum. On the 13th. instant I requested the Ceneral Officer Commanding to send out a fairly strong picquet in view of the disturbed state of the frontier and seeing that the troops were in any case about to go into eaup for their winter training in a few days. A full company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was at once despatched by rail, and a second followed next morning. Conditions being reported normal they wore with- -drawn on 20th. Late on the evening of the 14th. eleven revolutionaries armed and carrying a flag crossed into British territory. They were disarmed by the Police to whom they offered no resistance, and brought to Sheung Shui Police Station under Military escort. It appeared that they had been on their way to Sha Tau Kok (Chinese) to endeavour to restore order, and had followed the old road which runs through British territory, and were ignorant of the frontier. I at once ordered their release and that their arms should be returned to them on the frontier. So far as it is possible to forecast the situation I foresco a period of auch anarchy across the frontier, and of consequent famine and hardship to villagers. This may and probably will lead to a number of robberies in the New Territories but the troops will be in training during the winter, and if necessery I shall request the General to undertake a little patrol work to reassure, and secure the safety of our people but I do not anticipate that this will be necessary. In Hongkong itself I expect we shall be inundated with the riff raff of Canton, end that crime will be exceedingly prevalent. It will probably be necessary to temporarily increase the Police Force and to take
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other
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