6706
62
No. 77.
ACTING GOVERNOR SIR W. J. GASCOIGNE (HONG KONG) to MR. CHAMBERLAIN,
Sm,
(No. 5.)
(Received February 10, 1902.)
Government House, Hong Kong, January 6, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 370, of the 5th November,* relative to a suggested amendment of the Wei-Hai-Wei Order in Council, 1901.
2. In reply, I have to inform you that I am advised by the Acting Chief Justice and Acting Puisne Judge that no rule is necessary. In this view the Attorney-General concurs, tor as the law stands there is nothing to prevent the Full Court from hearing an appeal from Wei-Hai-Wei, and no doubt when desirable any such appeal would be BO heard.
I have, &c.,
6145
No. 78.
W. J. GASCOIGNE,
Major-General, Administering the Government.
63
of His Majesty's Treasury that he concurs in the proposal to reduce the amount of the suggested grant-in-aid of the civil administration of Wei-hai-wei for 1902-3 to £12,000.
2. I am to take this opportunity of forwarding for their Lordships' consideration a copy of the report* of a Conference on the future garrison of Wei-hai-wei, and other questions connected therewith, at which the War Office, the Admiralty, and this De- partment were represented. A copy of a letter† from the War Office upon the subject is also enclosed.
3. Mr. Chamberlain concurs in the report of the Conference, and proposes to give the pledge asked for in paragraph 3 of the enclosed letter from the War Office. It is, however, obviously impossible to forecast whether the administration will hereafter become self-supporting, and so able to carry out this undertaking without cost to Imperial funds.
4. Mr. Chamberlain anticipates that it will be necessary, in view of paragraph 3 of the proposals of the Conference, to begin making arrangements, during the course of the ensuing financial year, for the establishment of a police force of some 200 men, who would include a certain number of English, and probably of Sikhs. It is hoped, however that the expense involved in the establishment of this force may be so far kept down during the financial year that the limits of the grant-in-aid may not be exceeded.
5. Mr. Chamberlain would accordingly be glad if you would move their Lordships to cause him to be informed at an early date whether they are prepared to assent to the conclusions of the Conference.
WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 13, 1902.)
[Answered by No. 80.]
6145
No. 80.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
War Office, London, S.W., February 12, 1902. THE Secretary of State for War is informed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that a copy of the report of the Conferencet which was recently held to discuss the future arrangements for the maintenance of order at Wei-haj-wei has been forwarded by that department to the Colonial Office.
Their Lordships have also expressed their readiness to accept the report. I am to request that you will inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies that as regards paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Report, Mr. Secretary Brodrick considers that the transfer to the Colonial Office of land and buildings which are now vested in the War Office should be subject to the condition that if at any future period troops are sent to Wei-hai-wei at the request of the Colonial Office or in futherance of their in- terests, that department will provide them with barrack accommodation or other lodg- ings to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State for War, and further, subject to the condition that the transfer of the land and buildings is without prejudice to the hous- ing of the troops who are to remain temporarily.
With these provisos the Secretary of State for War approves of the recommenda- tions of the Conference, and will be glad to learn at as early a date as possible whether Mr. Secretary Chamberlain also concurs in the arrangements proposed.
If the Secretary of State for the Colonies concurs in the proposals, I am further to ask whether it is probable that the services of any of the British officers and non- commissioned officers or of the native soldiers now serving in the Chinese Regiment will be needed by the Colonial Office to form the nucleus of the future police force of Wei- hai-wei.
6145
SIR,
No. 79.
t.
I have, &c.,
G. FLEETWOOD WILSON.
COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY. [Answered by No. 81.]
Downing Street, February 14, 1902. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, and to request you to inform the Lords Commissioners
‡ No. 70.
• No. 62.
† Enclosure in No. 73.
SIR,
(Confidential.)
COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE.
Downing Street, February 14, 1902. In reply to your letter of the 12th instant,t I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to request you to inform Mr. Secretary Brodrick that subject to the under- standing contained in the enclosed copy of a letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, he will be glad to give the pledge asked for in paragraph 3 of your letter.
2. As regards the last paragraph I am to say that the services of some of the officers and men of the Chinese Regiment will, no doubt, be required for the new police force at Wei-hai-wei, but that Mr. Chamberlain proposes in the first instance to con- sult Mr. J. H. S. Lockhart, the new Commissioner of Wei-hai-wei, upon the subject: 3. I am to add that if there is no objection to such a proceeding, Mr. Cham- berlain would be glad if Mr. Brodrick could see his way to arranging that such of the arms and equipment of the Chinese Regiment as may be suitable for the new police force could be placed at the disposal of the civil administration for that purpose, as soon as they cease to be required for the existing, Regiment.
'Tam, &c.,
7293
SIR,
No. 81.
TREASURY to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received February 20, 1902.)
C. P. LUCAS.
Treasury Chambers, February 19, 1902.
I AM directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to acknow- ledge the receipt of Mr. Lucas's letter (8145/1902) of the 14th instant, transmitting a copy of the report of a conference on the future garrison of Wai-bai-wei, and I am to request you to inform Mr. Secretary Chamberlain that my Lords assent to the Con- clusions of the Conference.
ram, &o.,
AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.
• Enclosure in No. 73.
† No. 78.
‡ No. 79.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :—
ETHIC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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