49
18
Colonel Dorward, the Military Commissioner at that place, is not acting under Mr. Chamberlain's instructions.
3. In this connection I am to refer to the letter from this Department, of the 19th March last, in which it was stated that Mr. Chamberlain proposed to await the receipt of Sir F. Swettenham's report before taking any steps towards the assumption by this Department of the administration of the Dependency: and to say that Mr. Chamberlain is of opinion that it would be convenient to postpone the further consideration of your letter under acknowledgment until he has had an opportunity of consulting Sir F. Swettenham.
I am, &c.,
wanted immediately to defray expenses that are being incurred in providing accommo- dation, &c., for refugees.
2. Copies of this telegram have also been sent to the Foreign Office, the Treasury, and the Admiralty.
23124.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
19843
No. 48.
C. P. LUCAS.
No. 51.
WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received July 19, 1900.)
ADMIRALTY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received June 23, 1900.)
SIR,
Admiralty, June 21, 1900. WITH reference to your letter of the 3rd ultimo, No. 13428,† respecting the main- tenance of lights at the entrance to the harbour of Wei-hai-wei, I am commanded by iny Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request you will inform the Secretary of State that they concur in the existing arrangement under which the Navy has agreed to be responsible for the maintenance of the lights being continued until the 31st March next, money haying been provided in the Navy Estimates for that purpose.
After that date, however, it is assumed that provision for this service will be made by the Colonial Office.
SIR,
[Answered by No. 58.]
War Office, London, S. W., July 18, 1900. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, and to acquaint you that the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have been asked to sanction the provision temporarily out of army funds of the money required to provide accommodation, &c., for refugees at Wei- hai-Wei, and to communicate with the Treasury Chest Officer at Hong Kong on the subject.
I am, &c..
FRANK T. MARZIALS.
22664
I am, &c.,
EVAN MACGREGOR.
24400.
}
No. 52.
SIR,
No. 49.
COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.
Downing Street, July 16, 1900.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to enclose for the information of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, a copy of a telegram which he has received from Commander Gaunt, R.N., Acting Commissioner at Wei Hai Wei, stating that the sum of £2,500 is wanted immediately to defray expenses that are being incurred in providing accommodation, &c., for refugees.
2. I am to explain that, as their Lordships are aware, the civil administration of Wei Hai Wei has not yet been taken over by this Department, and Mr. Chamberlain is not therefore in a position to offer an opinion in regard to this telegram. A copy has, however, been forwarded to the War Office for such action as may be thought necessary. Copies have also been sent to the Foreign Office and the Admiralty.
I am, &c.,
22664
SIR,
No. 50.
COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE.
[Answered by No. 51.]
C. P. LUCAS.
Downing Street, July 16, 1900. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to forward for such action as the Marquess of Lansdowne may consider necessary, a copy of a telegram, from Com- mander Gaunt, R.N., Acting Commissioner at Wei Hai Wei, stating that £2,500 is
SIR,
sioner.
SIR F. SWETTENHAM to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received July 28, 1900.)
34, Dover Street, London, July 26, 1900.
In accordance with the instructions conveyed in your confidential despatch of 16th March last† to the Officer Administering the Government of the Straits Settle- ments, I have the honour to inform you that I left the Malay States on the 28th, April, and, taking advantage of a passage offered to me by Captain Percy Scott, R.N., pro- ceeded to Hong Kong in H.M.S. "Terrible," and thence made my way by the first opportunity available to Weihaiwei, where I arrived on the 17th May, and was met by and became the guest of Colonel Dorward, R.E., the Military and Civil Commis- Unfortunately, a severe attack of fever interfered with my work to some extent, but I was able to gather all the information to be obtained on the spot by the 2nd June, when I proceeded in H.M.S. "Alacrity" to Taku, and thence by tug and train to Tientsin, where I arrived on the 4th June. Owing to the "Boxer" disturbances, the railway authorities declined to run trains to Peking, and having gained the infor- mation I wanted in Tientsin, I left for Chifu, where I arrived on the 8th and caught a small steamer leaving that night for Port Arthur. I returned to Chifu on the 8th, and left again on the 9th in H.M.S. "Phoenix," reaching Weihaiwei the same after- noon. Colonel Dorward was absent on the frontier, and as it would have made a difference of ten days to me if I had missed the next Pacific mail steamer, I went out in a steam launch the same evening and, at midnight, caught a passing steamer which took me to Shanghai. I arrived there at 10 p.m. on the 11th, and left for San Francisco at 8 a.m. on the 13th June. I reached San Francisco on the 9th of July, and London to-day.
• No. 23.
† No. 35.
22664: not printed: see No. 57,
5855
• No. 50.
↑ No. 18.
Q
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
1 2 3
C.O. 882
6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO