22
CHINA
The Yamen, having received no answer to the above requests, have desired me to call the attention of your Lordship to the matter, and at the same time express the hope that, as the Convention for the extension of the boundaries of the Colony of Hong Kong was agreed to as a special mark of China's friendship for Great Britain, and as the two conditions which your Lordship imposed for the retrocession of the town of Samchun have been fulfilled, arrangements may be made for the restoration of that place to China at an early date, also for the Chinese authorities being enabled to resume the government of the City of Kowlung.
I have, &c.
(7280) No. 44 Sir,
(Signed)
LO FENG LUH.
The Marquess of Salisbury to Lo Feng Luh
Foreign Office, 24th October, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note which you addressed to me on the 17th instant, informing me of the instructions forwarded to you by the Tsung-li Yamen with regard to the British occupation of Sham Chun, and the question of the resumption by the Chinese authorities of control in the City of Kowloon.
I had already learnt with much satisfaction through Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking that Tan Tzu-cheng, who is believed to have been chiefly responsible for the murder of Mr. Fleming in Kweichou, had at length been arrested, and I have the honour to inform you that I am in communication with Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies in regard to the arrangements to be made for the retrocession to China of Sham Chun. For the reasons stated in my note of 30th May, it is impossible for Her Majesty's Government to allow the resumption of jurisdiction by the Chinese authorities in Kowloon City.
(Signed)
I am, &c.
SALISBURY.
Mr. Bax-Ironside, Her Majesty's Minister at Peking, to Tsung-li Yamen
(7464) No. 21. Enclosure No. 1 MM. les Ministres,
Peking, 6th November, 1899.
Referring to the note addressed to me on the 1st ultimo, requesting me to telegraph to Her Majesty's Government to ask that the Governor of Hong Kong might be instructed to withdraw the British troops from the territory of Shamchun, and to allow the Chinese authorities, in accordance with the special clause in the Agreement, to exercise jurisdiction within the City of Kowloon, I have the honour to state that, in accordance with your wishes, I have brought the matter to the notice of Her Majesty's Government.
I am now in receipt of a telegraphic reply, instructing me to inform your Highness and your Excellencies that the Governor of Hong Kong has been told to withdraw British troops from Shamchun within the boundary previously delimitated.
Sir Henry Blake has been also directed to clearly inform the Viceroy of Canton that he is expected to protect those Chinese outside the boundary who have shown friendliness to British troops during our occupation for maintaining law and order on the frontier, and for securing life and property.
I am instructed to obtain a pledge to this effect from the Tsung-li Yamen, and to add that failure on the part of the Viceroy of Canton to co-operate with the Colonial Government in this respect may lead to a second occupation.
On 30th May last the Marquess of Salisbury addressed a note to the Chinese Minister in London stating the reasons why Her Majesty's Government cannot allow the resumption by Chinese authorities of jurisdiction in Kowloon City.
Copy of this note was doubtless forwarded to your Highness and your Excel- lencies by the Chinese Minister, and Her Majesty's Government adhere to the decision therein contained.
I have the honour to request your Highness and your Excellencies to favour me with a reply without delay containing the desired assurance with respect to Chinese who have shown themselves friendly to our troops during the occupation of Shamchun, in order that I may transmit the same by telegraph to Her Majesty's Government.
I avail, &c.
H. O. BAX-IRONSIDE.
(Signed)
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