264
me, that Dr. Chan Chik-yue is a danger to the peace and good order of the Colony, and I have accordingly asked your sanction to deny to him its hospitality. The same remarks apply to Sun Yat-sen
and Wu llon-man, and I may add that I have reason to believe that
the majority of Chinese Lerchants with a stake in the Colony would endorse the action of the Government in deporting these men if they come here after being warned to stay away.
2.
It is worth noting here that the notices in the
native press of the declaration of independence which appeared on
the 19th. instant referred to the declaration as one of the in-
-dependence of the Province. The immediate result was a collapse
Juiz of the value of Canton llotes as described in a separate Despatch
rental which I have recorded another page in the history of this isparately
fatuous and ignorant financial escapade on the part of the Canton
Authorities.
This collapse forced the Acting Governor-
-Ceneral to hasten to explain that the Kwangtung Province did not
wish to secede from the Central Government and that its object was
merely to oppose the President. I have not seen the text of the
actual Proclamation but the wording of the despatch from the
Acting Governor-General to Mis Britannic Majesty's Consul-General
forwarded in my Despatch wider reference supports the contention
for a day. of Chan Kring-ming. The explanation had some effect in restoring
to some extent confidence in the lote Issue.
3.
or two
The effect in Hongkong of the declaration of
independence so far has been as described in my telegram. The only
breach of the peace that has resulted is that apparently at the
instance of the revolutionary Government or ivs supporters of the
Kuo in Tang attempts have been made to intimidate certain Chinese
newspaper offices in the Colony against publishing news from the
scene of hostilities in Central China unfavourable to the
revolutionaries. The Police have taken prompt measures to
stop this. An arrest has been made and the culprit has been sent
to