PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
זדון זד
Reference :---
C.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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SIR,
(Franslation.)
390.
TAUNGLI-YAMEN to Bir Claude MacDonALE.
(Secret Red Letter. Separate.)
Peking, December 24, 1899: On the 14th instant, when Your Excellency came to the Yamen, we laid before you our views with regard to the City of Kowloon. Sham Chun, we said, had already been restored to China, but the conduct of affairs within the City of Kowloon should, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, be administered by Chinese officials. Your Excellency was good enough to consent to transmit our arguments to your Government.
We desire, however, to again place the matter carefully before Your Excellency. The position as regards the City of Kowloon is without doubt analogous to that of the City of Kinchow, situate within the leased area at Port Arthur. If the city of Kowloon be not administered by Chinese officials, it is to be feared that Russia will, in consequence, conceive designs, which will certainly be greatly to the detriment of China. China and England are friends of long standing, and we are of opinion that the British Foreign Office would be unwilling that another nation should have a pretext on account of this Kowloon affair.
Should there be fear that there will be any prejudice to the military requirements of Hong Kong, we would be most willing to discuss and arrange in the fullest manner such measures as would be deemed advisable, and it would be incumbent on China to order their careful observance.
In sending Your Excellency this special secret letter we beg you to transmit these arguments, in full detail, and without loss of time, by telegraph, to the Foreign Office of your honourable nation. We beg to express our fervent hope that, in consideration for the welfare of China her officials will be permitted to exercise jurisdiction within the City of Kowloon in conformity with the Convention.
We beg the favour of a reply.
(Cards of Prince and Ministers of the Yamen.)
Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD to His Highness Prince CH'ING and Their Excellencies the MINISTERS OF THE THUNGLI-YAMEN.
(Red Letter. No. 2.) MESSIEURS LES MINISTRES,
Peking, January 2, 1900.
I HAVE the honour to reply to Your Highness and Your Excellencies' secret note of 24th December, requesting me to telegraph to the Foreign Office with regard to the City of Kowloon.
I find that on the 6th November, Mr. Bax-Ironside addressed a note to the Yamen communicating a telegram from the Foreign Office on this subject, which contained the following passage: On the 30th May last the Marquess of Salisbury addressed a note to the Chinese Minister in London stating the reasons why Her Majesty's Govern ment cannot allow the resumption by Chinese authorities of jurisdiction in Kowloon City, and Her Majesty's Government adhere to the decision therein contained."
As Your Highness and Your Excellencies may not have seen the note to the Chinese Minister above referred to, I have the honour to enclose a translation for your perusal. The note contains a detailed account of the circumstances in connection with the taking over of the Hong Kong extension. I will, however, add some particulars of the representations made to the Tsungli-Yamen by this Legation.
On the 4th April Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires sent a red letter to the Yamen, requesting that a telegram might be sent to the Canton Viceroy to prevent the Chinese of the district from making any disturbance or offering obstruction to the taking over of the leased territory. On the 12th April a despatch was sent to the Yamen; on the 13th Mr. Bax-Ironside called himself at the Yamen; and on the 18th sent the Chinese Secretary to the Yaren on the same business.
On the 20th and 29th April, Mr. Bax-Ironside went to the Yamen to ask that the Chinese troops be withdrawn and on the 1st May he sent a despatch on the subject.
On the 23rd May replying to a despatch from the Yamen requesting the with- drawal of British troops from Sham Chun and Kowloon city, Mr. Bax-Ironside wrote: "In view of the instructions have received from Her Majesty's Government, I do not
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feel justified in telegraphing to Her Majesty's Secretary of State in the sense das by the Yamen."
On the 1st October a despatch was received from the Yamen by thie Legation asking that a telegram might be sent to the Foreign Office requesting the restoratio Sham Chun and permission to Chinese officials to resume jurisdiction in Kowloon City.
On the 8th November, a reply was sent by the Legation to the Yamen giving He Majesty's Government's reasons, as above alluded to, for not permitting the resumption of Cheese jurisdiction in Kowloon City.
On the 15th November the Tsungh-Yamen replied and a telegram was sent by this Legation to the Foreign Office on 18th November, to which no answer has been returned.
I have already communicated to Her Majesty's Government by post the arguments which the Tsungli-Yamen now request me to telegraph, and I do not feel justified in again telegraphing on the subject.
I avail, &c.,
His Highness Prince Ch'ing,
and Their Excellencies,
(No. 327.)
The Ministers of the Tsungli-Yamen.
Annexure to No. 303.
Claude M. MacDonald.
Mr. BAX-IRONSIDE to the Marquess of SALISBURY. (Received January 8, 1900.)
MY LORD,
In accordance with the instructions contained in Your Lordship's telegram, No.
Peking, November 17, 1890. 181, of the 3rd instant, I addressed a note to the Tsungli-Yamen on the 6th November, copy of which I have the honour to enclose, informing them that Her Majesty's Govern- ment had instructed the Governor of Hong Kong to withdraw from Sham Chan within the boundary previously arranged. I requested the Minister to send me a writtena assurance that those Chinese in the district thus evacuated who had shown themselves friendly to the British troops would be protected by the Canton authorities.
I added that Her Majesty's Government adhered to their decision not to allow the resumption by the Chinese officials of jurisdiction in Kowloon City.
On the 15th instant I received the Yamen's reply, translation of which I have the honour to enclose, to the effect that the Yamen had telegraphed to the Governor- General of Canton te instruct the local authorities concerned to afford the desired protection to the friendly Chinese.
The Ministers went on to argue that the refusal to allow the Chinese officials to exercise jurisdiction in Kowloon City was contrary to the Convention, and begged me to telegraph to Your Lordship their request that Her Majesty's Government would permit the resumption of this jurisdiction.
I had the honour to telegraph in the above sense to Your Lordship on the 16th instant.
I have, &c.,
H. O. BAT-IRONUIDE.
Enclosure 1 in Annexure.
Mr. BAX-IRONSIDE to the Tsungli-YameN.
MM, LES MINISTRES,
Peking, November 6, 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 Sham Chun, 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 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 Highrom