12913 8.
SIB,
(Secret.)
162
No. 167.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
[Answered by No. 173.]
Downing Street, May 25, 1899. WITH reference to your letter of the 22nd instant, enclosing a, copy of a telegram from the Taungli Yamen which had been left with the Marquess of Salisbury by the Chinese Minister protesting against the recent action of Her Majesty's Government in the newly-leased territory, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to transmit to you to be laid before his Lordship a copy of a telegram† from the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the Northern boundary.
2. I am at the same time to enclose a copy of the reply‡ which Mr. Chamberlain has addressed to Sir Henry Blake.
163
cannot doubt, been largely owing to the promptness of action displayed by yourself and by all concerned. Both Mr. Lockhart and Mr. May, the latter of whom must have at one time been in a somewhat perilous position, appear to have acted with much energy and intelligence and you have been ably supported by the military and naval forces at your disposal. I have had pleasure in bringing to the notice of the Secretary of State for War, and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the prompt and efficient services rendered by Major-General Gascoigne and the troops under his command, and by the naval officers entrusted with the transport of the troops.
5. I am in expectation of further despatches from you as to the progress of affairs in the new territory.
18620.
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
No. 170.
GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received May 27, 1899.)
13478
No. 168.
GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MB. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Paraphrase.)
(Received 7.55 p.m., May 26, 1899.)
TELEGRAM,
[Answered by No. 187.]
IN connection with my telegram of 21st instant, read my confidential despatch of 28th ultimo,§ paragraph 3. If we are to retain Sham Chun, ite occupation changes the condition [position] necessitating, in the General's opinion, holding the road from Bud Bay, with practically all the villages of the valley. Inhabitants seem quite friendly, and as long as no complications threaten Hong Kong the valley could be held with present forces. Our flag has been hoisted at Sham Chun. The people seem content. I do not see how we can now retire behind the river boundary, though I did prefer it.
(No. 105.)
SIB,
[Acknowledged by No. 198.]
Government House, Hong Kong, April 27, 1899.
I HAVE the honour to forward for your information and consideration the en- closed copy of a letter from the Secretary to the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce expressing the views of the Committee of that Body in relation to the recent armed re- sistance offered to British occupation of the New Territory.
SIE,
I am addressing you in a separate despatch on the subject.
I have, &c.,
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor, &c.
Enclosure in No. 170.
No. 66, 17 March.
No. 82,
1 April. No. 87,
7 April.
No. 88,
7 April.
No. 93,
15 April,
12275.
(No. 96.) SIR,
No. 169.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SI H. A. BLAKE.
Downing Street, May 26, 1899. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the numbers and dates noted in the margin, having reference to recent occurrences in the newly- acquired territory.
2. These matters have formed the subject of telegraphic correspondence, and you have already, therefore, received my instructions from time to time as to the action to be taken in each particular case.
3. I have been glad to learn from the latest telegraphic reports that matters are now generally quieting down, and that you do not anticipate much further difficulty in establishing and preserving order throughout the new territory.
4. I need hardly say that I have followed the course of events with the utmost interest; and it has been a great satisfaction to me to learn that no lives have been lost on the British side during any of the operations. The complete success of these has, I
1 No. 166.
• No. 164.
No. 172.
↑ No. 163.
| Nom. 102, 135, 140, 141, and 159.
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hong Kong, April 21, 1809.
In view of the disturbances now taking place in the new territory, which there is good reason to believe have been engineered or assisted from Chinese territory, I am instructed to ask you to be good enough to lay before His Excellency the Governor the following opinions and suggestions of my Committee:--
1. That, having regard to the fact that the new territory is obviously liable to be over-run by the banditti, who are either not amenable to Chinese authority or whose acts the mandarins find it convenient to ignore or disavow, it is essential to the preserva- tion of good order in the Colony, and to consolidate our position, that the northern boundary shall be clearly defined by natural features, and include within it the town of Shamchün.
2. That recent occurrences have convincingly demonstrated the inutility, if not the actual mischievousness, of mandarin influence, and furnish excellent reasons for removal of the Chinese officials from Kowloon City, which otherwise will remain a focus of intrigue against the authority of the Hong Kong Government.
5. The Committee would further suggest that, as the suppression of these die- turbances will entail a heavy outlay, it would not be unreasonable for Her Majesty's Government to demand the extension of the lease of the new territory for a longjes period than 99 years, if not the complete cession thereof.
I have, &c.,
The Honourable
J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX.
Secretary.
CRA
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