148-
14
18
22.
No one is more anxious than I am to see
friendly relations restored between Hong Kong and the
neighbouring Chinese provinces. I am a man of peace, not of war: and it is only because I am convinced that
a policy of patient conciliation in China can under present circumstances only lead eventually either to
warlike action by ourselves in China on a large scale
or to our ultimate evacuation of China, which would of
course mean the ruin of Hong Kong, that I plead for
such authority to the men on the spot as would enable
them by prompt and firm local action, in defence of
British interests, so to maintain British prestige in
South China that the painful alternatives of war or
ruin my be avoided. So far as Kuang-tung is concerned,
ample British naval and military force is now available
at Hong Kong. But it is quite useless to hold Hong
Kong and Shanghai with large British forces, if our
trade in the West River and Yangtsze valleys is not
#
made safe. No Chinese regional authority will move a
finger to help us in this matter, so long as we ourselves
pursue a completely defeatist policy of evacuation and
conciliation. But if the various Chinese authorities
realize that we mean to act forcibly in our own defence
promptly and courageously, whenever we are attacked, I
am confident that our prestige will soon be restored;
and, once that is achieved, it will again' be safe for our
merchants to trade in the interior of China', even though there may be civil war raging spasmodically up and down
the country.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,!
Your most obedient, humble servant,
lements
Governor, &c.
14