| PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TILLLIC.O. 882
6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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4. Their Lordships will see that Mr. Lockhart has entered the Commissioner's salary at £1,600, in addition to the fuel allowance of £102; and in the despatch he urges that the appointment should be at least equal in emolument to that of the Colonial Secretary of Hong-Kong, from which he was promoted to his present post, or that of Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements.
5. I am to explain that the salary of the Colonial Secretary of Hong-Kong has been fixed at £1,600 a year in the scheme of sterling salaries for that Colony. The present holder of the post, however, is drawing salary at the rate of £1,620, his dollar salary of $10,800 being made up to the exchange value of 3s. the dollar; he is, moreover, entitled to draw his leave salary in this country at 4s. the dollar, and his ultimate pension at 3s. 8d.. the dollar. All these privileges would have been enjoyed by Mr. Lockhart if he had remained in his former post. It seems hardly. justifiable that he should suffer so materially in consequence of his elevation to the Commissionership of Wei-bai-Wei..
6. It is accordingly suggested, for their Lordship's consideration, that in place of the present emoluments, viz., salary at the rate of £1,150 a year, an entertainment, allowance of £200, and an allowance in lieu of quarters at £150, the salary of the Commissioner should be fixed at £1,500 a year, with an entertainment allowance of £100; and that Mr. Lockhart should continue to draw fuel allowance on the conditions laid down in your letter of the 22nd November,* and should cease to pay rent for the quarters which he occupies. These rates would, of course, be subject to revision when Mr. Lockhart ceases to hold the post.
7. Mr. Lockhart's estimate of expenditure on the establishment and mainten- ance of a Police Force is based on the supposition that His Majesty's Government will retain some garrison in the Dependency. On this assumption, the proposed expenditure appears adequate. Arrangements as to the Police and the Public Works Staff will necessarily be somewhat unsettled until the question of the garrison is decided, as the possible presence of soldiers, and especially of a detachment of Royal Engineers, would be of importance in both respects.
8. On the other hand, if a garrison is retained at Wei-hai-Wei, it may be necessary to revise the agreement under which the bulk of the lands and buildings formerly in military possession have been handed over to the Civil Authorities; which would involve a diminution in the local revenue. It is hoped, however, that such of the property as is still in the possession of the Military Authorities may prove sufficient for their purposes.
9. I am to enclose a copy of the despatch† on the staff of the Medical De- partment, to which Mr. Lockhart refers in paragraph 9 of his despatch. Subject to their Lordships' approval, it is proposed to agree to Mr. Lockhart's scheme, but to warn him that no definitive arrangements should be made until the garrison question is settled.
10. As, however, a civil surgeon will evidently be required, it is proposed to offer Dr. Hickin the post, if, on enquiry, he is ascertained to be in all respects suitable. He is at present in this country, and the cost of his passage to Wei-hai- Wei will probably cause an excess in the expenditure under "Transport," for which £80 is provided on the estimates under consideration, under "Miscellaneous."
11. A letter has been addressed to the Admiralty, enquiring whether the Lords Commissioners can see their way to consent to the admission of Europeans into the Naval Hospital on Liu Kung Tau, until circumstances admit of the estab- lishment of a separate civil hospital.
12. It will not be necessary to trouble the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, at any rate at present, with the despatches on the subject of the Public Works Staff, to which Mr. Lockhart refers in paragraph 10 of the despatch, as a telegram has since been received from him, asking that action in regard to the selection of the staff may be suspended. It is not possible, however, in the absence of further information, to make any alteration in the estimate of the cost of the staff.
*
13. As regards the provision of $1,500 for Government scholarships, under Miscellaneous," I am to explain that Mr. Lockhart considers that it is preferable to assist education by providing scholarships, which are tenable by the sons of residents in the territory at the local Anglo-Chinese school, rather than by spending inoney in assisting vernacular schools, as was suggested by his predecessor. It will
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be noticed that this is the only provision made for the educational requirements of Wei-hai-Wei.
14. The proposals in regard to the mail service were approved in your letter of the 6th ultimo,'
15. Subject to the foregoing observations, these estimates do not appear to require criticism, and it is hoped that their Lordships will see their way to approve Mr. Lockhart's proposals.
16. I am to add that Mr. Lockhart is especially anxious to know, as soon as possible, whether the item of £240 for a launch service is agreed to.
2398
SIR,
(No. 66.)
No. 139.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
COMMISSIONER LOCKHART to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received January 17, 1903.)
[Answered by No. 142.]
Government House, Port Edward,
Wei-hai-Wei, December 8, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that last summer Captain Truppel, the Governor of the German Dependency of Tsingtau, and two days ago the Governor of the Chinese Province of Shantung, paid an official visit.
2. I am desirous of returning these two visits in the spring of next year by proceeding, in the first instance, by sea to Tsingtau and travelling overland from that place through the Province of Shantung to Chinan, its capital, where the Governor resides, returning to Wei-hai-Wei by way of Chefoo.
3. This journey will afford me an opportunity of examining the methods that are being adopted by Germany at Tsingtau, and of acquiring a knowledge of the Shantung Province and its trade routes, which it is impossible to obtain without travelling and which it is important the Commissioner of this Dependency should possess.
4. I have, therefore, to request your permission to travel as I propose and, if you approve, that arrangements may be made with the Admiralty to convey me from Wei-hai-Wei to Tsingtau in one of His Majesty's ships of war.
5. During my absence Mr. Walter can act for me and should any unforeseen occurrence necessitate my immediate return, which is not probable, I could easily be recalled by telegram, as I shall be in telegraphic communication with Wei-hai- Wei throughout the whole of the proposed journey.
2398
SIR,
I have, &c.,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
No. 140.
Commissioner.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
Downing Street, January 21, 1903. 1 AM directed to transmit to you, to be laid before the Marquess of Lans- down, a copy of a despatch from the Commissioner of Wei-hai-Weí, proposing to return the visits of the Governor of Tsingtau and the Governor of Shantung in the coming spring.
2. It is proposed to approve Mr. Lockhart's projected journey, if Lord Lans- clowne sees no objection.
3. I am to ask that an early reply may be returned to this letter.
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9641
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
† No. 139.
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