PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Amuni n
12
Wei-hai Wei on expenditure in connection with administration at that station, and enquiring whether Mr. Chamberlain is prepared to consider the question of the establish ment of a civil administration at Wei-hai Wei.
2. I am to state in reply that it has now been decided by Her Majesty's Government that the civil administration of Wei-hai Wei shall be taken over by this Department; and I am to add that it would, in Mr. Chamberlain's opinion, be of advantage if the Marquesa of Lansdowne would be good enough to instruct someone who is well acquainted with the circumstances and the local conditions of Wei-hai Wei to discuss the details of future arrangements with me.
&c.,
639.
No. 14.
I am,
C. P. LUCAS.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE and ADMIRALTY.
Downing Street, February 7, 1900.
SIB,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to [tacknowledge the receipt of your letter of 13th December last, and to] request you to inform the Marquess of Salisbury [Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty] that it has been decided that the civil adminis- tration of Wei-hai Wei shall be taken over by this Department as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.
am to add that a further letter will be addressed to you in due course in regard to the draft Order in Council which was enclosed in your letter under acknowledgment.]
Ι
Am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
13
property on the mainland near Wei-hai Wei, and in which he proposes that if no other offieer be at present sent out to perform the above duties, they should be undertaken by Commander Gaunt, now in charge of Naval Establishments there.
2. Before finally submitting my opinion hereon to their Lordships, I should like to be assured on one or two points by the Military Commissioner; but meanwhile, in order to save delay, I wish to make the following remarks thereon.
3. As regards the immediate performance of these duties until permanent arrange. ments are made :—
Commander Gaunt is willing to accept the office. He is, as Colonel Dorward remarks, well capable of performing the duties; and, at all events, just for the present till the Naval Establishments are further advanced and his duties more fully developed, I consider he can undertake the above without detriment to Her Majesty's Service.
4. As regards any more permanent arrangement, should the Officer in charge of Naval Establishments be also vested with magisterial or other duties, I consider they should be strictly confined to the island and to any actual Admiralty property on the mainland.
5. Concerning extra pay for the above.—It would add considerably to Commander Gaunt's work, and I consider he should have extra payment, as it would be quite beyond the regular duties of his position. The amount proposed, viz., 250 dollars a month, is, I consider, sufficient. As regards its production, I do not see why, under the present and future arrangements for the place, it should come out of a Naval Vote.
I have, &c.,
The Secretary
of the Admiralty.
Enclosure 2 in No. 15.
No. 36/2705.
SIB,
E. H. SEYMOUR,
Vice-Admiral.
Reference :--
ICO. 882
6565.
S13,
No. 15.
ADMIRALTY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 28, 1900.) [Answered by No. 21.]
Admiralty, February 26, 1900. I AM commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit herewith copies of two letters from the Commander-in-Chief on the China Station, dated the 10th November, 1899 (with enclosure), and 14th ultimo, relative to a proposal that Commander Gaunt, R.N., should undertake the duties of "cantonment magistrate" on the island of Leu-kung-tau; and I am to request that you will move the Secretary of State to cause them to be informed if he concurs in this proposal, or whether his appoint- ment will interfere with the decision contained in Colonial Office letter of the 7th instant, No. 639/1900.1
A communication on this subject has also been addressed to the War Office.
sm,
1 &c.
EVAN MACGREGOR.
"Centurion," at Hong Kong,
January 14, 1900.
WITH reference to my letter of the 10th November last, No. 815, relative to the proposed appointment of a "Cantonment Magistrate" to carry out certain duties on the Leland of Leu-kung and on Admiralty and War Office property on the mainland near Wei-hai Wei, I have the honour to request you will inform their Lordships that I see no objection to Commander Gaunt carrying out the duties of Cantonment Magistrate there (in addition to those he now performs as Commander in charge of Naval Establishments at Leu-kung-tan) so long as such duties are limited to the island and do not include the mainland.
The Secretary
7029.
of the Admiralty.
No. 16.
I have, &c.,
E. H. SEYMOUR,
Vice-Admiral,
6
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
No. 815.
SIR,
Enclosure 1 in No. 15.
"
Alacrity," at Amoy,
November 10, 1899.
I HAVE received from Colonel Dorward, the Military Commissioner at Wei-hai Wei, a copy of his letter of the 18th October to the Under Secretary of State for War (copy enclosed), in which he advises that a "Cantonment Magistrate" should be appointed to carry out certain duties on the Island of Leu-kung and on Admiralty and War Office
+ No. 14.
• Not printed.
↑ To Foreign Office only,
SIB,
WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received March 3, 1900.) [Answered by No. 22.]
War Office, London, S.W., March 2, 1900.
REFERRING to your letter of the 7th February, No. 639/1900,* I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to inform you that instructions have been given for Colonel Lewis, Commanding Royal Engineers, Gibraltar, to be sent home for the purpose
of conferring with Mr. Secretary Chamberlain in regard to details of arrangements to be made on the establishment of a civil administration at Wei-hai Wei under the Colonial^ Office.
Colonel Lewis left Gibraltar on the 25th February, and will be placed in communica- tion with you on reporting his arrival.
• No 13.
I