N°
124.
C
34013
IRES
EL JUN 19
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 17th. April, 1919.
282
Endosures The S.
My Lord,
I have the honour to forward for Your
Lordship's information copies of the correspondence noted in the margin relating to the forcible removal from Hongkong waters of the interned Chinese Gunboat "Kwong Lee". This Tessel together with four others the "Kwong Kung", "Kang Ping",
"Ying Lun", and "Chai Lai" had been detained here in 1917 at the
request of the Chinese Authorities, after some considerable
correspondence with His Majesty's Minister at Peking and
others, since their movemente in these waters appeared to be
directed towards furthering the strife between the Northern
and Southern parties in China.
2.
After receiving the copy of His Britannic
Majesty's Consul-General's letter to the Acting Tuchun dated
February 17th., I informed His Majesty's Minister at Peking of
the whole case, requesting him at the same time to press the
Chinese Government for the early removal of the 4 vessels still
remaining here.
3.
Subsequent discussion and correspondence
having proved entirely without effect, as will be seen from
the further enclosures noted in the margin, I have taken steps
to safeguard this Government in the matter by releasing three
of the 4 vessels now remaining, namely the "Kang Ping", "Ying
Lun" and "Chai Lai", which have had no concern in the whole of
the "Kwong Lee" affair. These vessels have been returned to
Mr. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
nclosures 6 to 9.
VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B..
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