गय
ياسيا
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
180
Enclosure 22 in No. 171.
Taipo Hu, April 17, 1899, 8.30 a.m. I ATTACH herewith a sketch* of the flag captured by the Hong Kong Regiment in the trenches on the hills to the north of Taipo Hu, on the evening of the 15th instant. The flag has a red border and a white centre, on which are seven Chinese characters meaning:-
Trainband sanctioned by the Government:-Tai Kai (village), surname Man." The village referred to, which is also known by the name of Tai Hang, is situated in the Lam Tsun valley, north-west of Taipo Hu, from which place the village in question is distant about two miles. The village is inhabited by the Man clan.
It is important to note that "the trainband" is established by Government sanction. This clearly shows that "the trainband" should have been controlled by the officials of that Government.
It is, of course, possible that the flag may have been used without authority, but I have reason to believe that the head of this Man clan has been actively supporting the insurgents with money and food. He promised to come to Hong Kong to beg for pardon, but never appeared, on the plea of old age.
I recommend that the Government of China be called upon for an explanation. I am sending this by special messenger, who will proceed by launch to Sha Tin and walk over the hills to Kowloon. I will take steps to discover the whereabouts of the head of the Man clan.
J. H. STEWART Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary.
HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Enclosure 23 in No. 171.
UNDER the circumstance explained by General Gascoigne, I approve of your not coming in. You will remember in the operations that the new territory comes within the terms of the Arms Ordinance, and no person in that territory is entitled to have or possess arms. It will therefore be your duty to discover any arms and confiscate them. The troops acting in support of the civil power will have authority to search and disarm. As to the movement of the troops in the suppression of active opposition and armed attacks upon Her Majesty's forces, you will be guided entirely by General Officer Commanding, who returns to Tai Po Hui this evening. I am informed by Dep. Wang that there are some Chinese soldiers stationed in the district, who have not yet received orders to remove. I shall ask for information as to the towns and villages to which they have been ordered. If you find them in those villages in the number stated you will direct them to proceed forthwith to Sham Chun, except that you find them partici- pating in any movement against our authority, in which case they should be made prisoners. In the event of prisoners being taken with arms in their hands they should be forwarded to Hong Kong.
I send copies of last two letters from the Viceroy. As the troops advance it may be well to pitch on the best site for the police station near Kam Tin without regard to the local objection.
Enclosure 24 in No. 171,
H. A. B.
His Excellency's Instructions to Honourable Colonial Secretary as to present Administration of Kowloon Extension.
I have received your reports of the 18th, 19th, and 20th instant. The situation now appears to have cleared for the present, and it will be very important that the villagers shall be induced to return to their cultivations. I have arranged that the troops shall be withdrawn for the present with the exception of 200 men, who will be left by the General Officer Commanding at Tai Po Hui as headquarters, with in- structions to afford assistance to the civil power when requisitioned. I propose that the stations at Tai Po Hui and in the neighbourhood of Un Long be proceeded with at once, and that 25 or 30 policemen be stationed at each place. A military party will be supplied at the station at Un Long in support of the police during its construction.
• Not reproduced.
181
It will now be your duty to endeavour to carry out the general policy for the administra tion of the district, leaving nothing undone to beget confidence. Distribute copies of the remarks in Chinese that have been prepared for distribution, and let it be known that persons who resume their occupations will not be interfered with. If you can establish communication with the elders and leaders of districts it will be well, as it will be necessary to proceed as soon as possible with the task of determining the districts and sub-districts under the Ordinance passed on 18th instant. It ought to be made clear to the people that when title to land cannot be produced, occupation will be accepted as proof of ownership after due notice has been given in the village or district.
H. A. BLAKE.
April 21, 1899.
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Enclosure 25 in No. 171.
Flagstaff Hill, Taipo.
WE left Wo Hang yesterday morning, and proceeded to Starling Inlet, to the point where the British boundary begins. I found that the peg driven in by me at that point to mark the commencement of the boundary had been interfered with, but the stakes driven in by the Chinese Commissioner had been removed. One of the pegs driven in by me a little distance away from the first peg had been shifted. I had it put back in its proper place. If there is to be no further rectification of the boundary think it would be well to have the present boundary properly marked in a permanent manner. This could be done by the Director of Public Works, who is acquainted with the exact limits of our territory, as he accompanied me when I was delimiting the frontier with the Chinese Commissioner. We found everything peaceful in the district between Wo Hang and Starling Inlet.
From Starling Inlet we crossed in boats to the Luk King district, where I was met by the elders, and handed them copies of Your Excellency's Chinese proclamation and speech and translations of the Local Communities Ordinance. From all I can gather, the inhabitants of this district did not take any part in the recent movement against British authority.
From Luk King we proceeded to Plover Cove, and walked through the villages in that district, the elders of which are coming to see me here. We reached Taipo at 6 p.m., after having marched about 25 miles.
On arrival I sent you the following message:-"Just returned Taipo after 25 miles march; glad to report country traversed peaceful; inhabitants, male and female, all pursuing ordinary occupations. Hope complete tour shortly."
All the inhabitants seem to have returned to the villages in the districts through which we passed. We saw men and women working in the fields. As an instance of the feeling of confidence now existing among the people I may mention that out of 111 persons employed yesterday at Wo Hang to carry our baggage, 70 were women, who came with us all the way from Wo Hang to the camp here."
Before leaving Wo Hang, I received a deputation of the elders of that district, who presented a petition couched in much the same terms as the petitions already presented by other districts. I told them that I was not able to state in what manner the Governor would deal with those who had taken part in resisting the British, but that His Excellency had instructed me to tell them that all good people would be protected; that bad characters would be severely dealt with; and that they should carry on their occupations as usual. I called upon them to surrender their arms, which they did, but somewhat reluctantly. I will have a complete list of all arms surrendered drawn up and forwarded in due course.
At Wo Hang a deputation of the elders from the Luk Yeuk District waited on me, and presented a petition, a translation of which is being made. The inhabitants of this district do not appear to have taken any-part in the recent disturbance. I gave the deputation copies of your Chinese proclamation and speech and translations of the Local Communities' Ordinance, and told them that they should continue to carry on their work as usual, and that every protection would be extended to them. They brought a fow arms which I had called upon them to surrender. They will be included in the general list.
To-morrow I intend to visit the eastern portion of the territory, starting from hers in a launch, landing at Chik Kang, and proceeding by land to Sai Kung and from Sai Kung to Sai Kang where we will meet the launch, which will take us back to Taipo.
When we have made this visit, we shall have practically completed the tour of the