PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
C.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
Sheung Shui :-
Liu Wan Kuk.
Fan Ling:
Pan Shiu Un.
Ping Kong:-
Hau Hon Kai.
San Tin:-
Man Lai Tong.
Tsa Hang:
Man Cham Tsun.
Tai Po Tau:-
Tang A Man.
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Sheung U Division.
C.
CONTENTS.
I. Statement of Ng Ki Cheung.
II. Statement of Tang Kok Lam.
III. (A) Letter handed over by Ng Ki Cheung.
IV. Notice found in the meeting house at Un Long.
V.
(A) Letter found in the meeting house at Un Long.
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The attached translation was made by me this day, assisted by Mr. Tsoi Yeuk Shan.
April 23, 1899.
I.
J. H. STEWARrt Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary.
Translation of written statement of Ng Ki Cheung, dated April 21, 1899. On the 17th day of the 2nd moon (27th March), Mr. May, C.S.P., came to Ping Shan to look for a site to erect a building, and wished to construct a police station on Po Kau Hill (1.6., the hill immediately behind the village of Ping Shan). The inhabi- tants of Ping Shan made a fuss, saying that the building would affect the" Fungshui" of the place. Crowds of people gathered at the house of Tang Ying Shang, and abused him. On the morning of the 18th, i.e., 28th March, the elders of the clan Tang Chiu I, Tang Fong Hing, Tang Tsing Wan, Tang Kwan Shan, Tang Lai Shang, and Tang A Lam assembled at Ha Tsun. When they met in the ancestral temple there, the follow- ing inhabitants of Ha Tsun, Tang Kwok Lam, Tang Tsing Sz, Tang Chik Ling, plotted together to resist (i.e., the British). On the 19th day (29th March) a meeting was held at Un Long in the meeting house to discuss matters. The following were present:- From the Pat Heung district, Tse Heung Po, Lai A Chun, Li A Pong, Tang A Tung; from Kam Tin, Tang Chuk Lam, Tang Lo Pan, Tang Yat Hin, Tang Ki Yan; from Shap Pat Heung, Tang Ying Cheung, Chu Ki Wan, Ng Fung Cheung, Ng Ki Cheung; from Ping Shan, A Leung, son of Tang Chiu I, Tang Fong Hing, Tang Tsing Wan, Tang Kwan Shan, Tang Lui Shang, Tang A Lam; from Ha Tsun, Tang I Shek, Tang Kwok Lam, Tang Chik Ting; from Castle Peak, Lo Tong Tso. All those present said the Company (formed several years ago to buy land in the territory) had cunningly con- spired (to induce the British to get the territory); that they feared that the difference between British and Chinese law and customs would lead to no end of difficulties. All thought that armed resistance should be made. But (the writer) Ng Ki Cheung said: "The Emperor of China has sealed the Convention ceding the territory; we ought
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certainly not dare to resist. Even if we were foolish enough to do this rash act, we should find difficulty in the matter of men, money, and arms. Success in battle can only be secured by a correct estimate of one's own (power) and that of one's enemy." The others had nothing to say in reply, and the meeting dispersed.
On the 21st (31st March) Tang Tsing Sz wrote a letter requesting the elders of the Sheung U Tung division to meet at Un Long. The following were present:-From Sheung Shui, Lin Wan Kuk; from Fan Ling, Pan Shiu Un; from Taipo Tau, Tang Ah Man; from Ping Kong, Hau Hon Kai; from San Tin, Man Lai Tong, who had with him a number of able-bodied men. At the meeting all were strongly bent on fighting. They also wanted to issue a notice forbidding the villagers from taking employment (under the British), and called upon (the writer) Ng Ki Cheung, to make a draft, but he refused, and the matter dropped.
Tang Tsing Sz took the lead in proposing resistance. (The writer) Ng Ki Cheung said, "Great Britain is the richest and most important nation in the world. If an insignificant place like ours should resist the troops of such a great power, it is easy to see where victory and defeat would lie."
All present said the cession of the territory is the work of the Company. Great Britain does not know the circumstances.
(The writer) Ng Ki Cheung said, " Mr. Stewart Lockhart was sent as Commissioner by the Imperial Government. We have received the proclamation of the Viceroy Tan. How it can be said that Great Britain does not know the circumstances. Truly nothing can be more unreasonable." All then dispersed.
On the 24th day (3rd April) some drunken men at Taipo took a crowd to burn the matshed. Men from Fan Ling took the card of Man Cham Tsun to various villages, asking for assistance.
On the morning of the 26th (5th April) the Ha. Tsun district was the first to render aid. Tang Hung Tsoi went with over 80 men under his command, who were provided with provisions and arms,
On the 27th (6th April) they returned.
On the 28th (7th April) Tang Tsing Sz went to Kam Tin, to incite the people there. On the 29th (8th April) Tang Kwok Lam and Tang Tsing Sz went to Un Long, and stayed at Tang Shing Un's place. They sent for the writer, Ng Ki Cheung, three times, but he refused to come. Tang Tsing Sz then went in nerson to his house, and saw the writer, and recapitulated his previous plans (of resistance). (The writer) Ng Ki Cheung informed him of recent political events. The writer said, "The natural defences of the Un Long and Sheung U divisions are not equal to those of Formosa; our generalship is not equal to that of Lau Wing Fuk (the Chinese general who was defeated by the Japanese in Formosa). Our resources are not like those of Lam Wai Un (the million- aire of Northern Formosa, who contributed over a million dollars towards the defence of Formosa against Japan-translator's note); we have no outside supporter like Chang Chih Tung (Viceroy of Nankin during the China-Japan war-translator's note); yet the Chinese were beaten by the Japanese. How much less are our chances against a rich country like Great Britain, with strong forces, powerful ships, and effective weapons?"
Tang Tsing and the others then falsely accused the writer of having been bribed by the Company and of having been granted a spirit monopoly.
On the first day the Tai Ping Kung Kuk (lit. Great-Peace-Public-Council Hall) was established, the intention of those who established it being to create a scare by empty bluster, but pretence became reality (ie., at first they did not intend to offer active resistance, but only to pretend to do so).
On the 3rd (12th April) (Col.) Fong Un arrived in a gunboat. The people at Castle Peak stubbornly resisted him with force. The inhabitants of the Shap Pat Heung district refused to send out men. The three large villages (i.s., Kam Tin, Ha Tsun, and Ping Shan) inhabited by the Tang clan used coercion, saying that if men were not sent the villages refusing would be attacked first, so that the small villages in the Shap Pat Henng district inhabited by those who are not of the Tang clan were forced to comply.
On the 5th (14th April) Tang I Shek went to Nam Tau.
On the 6th (15th April) be went to Canton, each village district subscribing 15- taels. (The writer) Ng Ki Cheung said, * It is useless to present petitions to the Viceroy and Governor. Their only answer would be that the demarcation is in accordance with the Tsung Li Yamen map."
All the other villages agreed with the proposal of Tang I Shek, and the Shap Pat Heung district was compelled to contribute its proportionate share.
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