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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
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C.O. 882
6PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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Colonel Dorward also asks for three country police stations, but I have no esti- mate of the cost of these, and think that, if necessary, Chinese houses might be rented for the purpose.
As regards this estimate, I have only to say that, while I hesitate to criticise the price of work in a place to which I am a stranger, 15,000 dollars for a hospital to accommodate twenty patients seems so high that I think it must be a mistake. Such a building with outhouses would cost in the Malay States about 3,000 dollars, and though there is no wood in Weihaiwei, stone is plentiful and labour extraordinarily cheap.
31. The roads for which Colonel Dorward presses very urgently are (1) a metalled cart road along the beach to put the various European houses in communica- tion with the camp, the town, and the landing stage; (2) the repair of that part of the Chifu road which falls within British territory; (3) the repair and deviation of the main market road from over the hills to Matou; (4) and (5) the remaking of two mule roads from Matou (that is practically the camp and central point of the main- land territory) to two island villages. These proposals are more particularly de- scribed as follows:-
1. Main road from Flagstaff Camp to Half Moon
Bay, including cost of land: 6 miles at $6,000 $36,000
2. Repair of the Chifu rond: 14 miles at $800
11,200
3. Hill road from Matou to Sun Kai Taw: 2
miles at $1,300
3,250
4. Mule road from Matou to Tsao Miao Dsa: 18
miles at $700
12,600
5. Mule track from above road to Bur Gon Dzi
cast frontier: 16 miles at $700
11,200
$74,250
32. To this amount must be added a large share of the expenditure provided for the Public Works Department, and the question is whether fler Majesty's Govern- ment is prepared to provide $56,500+$74,250-$130,750 for works, in addition to an annual charge of about 30,000 dollars for establishments, in a place which may return a revenue of 20,000 dollars, but cannot be expected to greatly increase that
sum.
33. I have said I felt bound to put forward the views of the Commissioner, and, if Her Majesty's Government is prepared to incur the expense, I have given the esti- mate of an economical establishment which ought to be able to carry on the adminis- tration successfully. It must not be forgotten, however, that I have assumed that the territory will be policed by the men of the Chinese Regiment, and I have pro- vided nothing for allowances to Chinese Elders or headmen, should it be considered In the estimate necessary hereafter to make a money payment for their services. submitted, should a Civil Commissioner take the place of the present Military and Civil Commissioner, the only change that need be made is to abolish the post of Assistant Commissioner, allotting his salary to the Commissioner, while the pay of the Financial Clerk should be raised to 2,400 dollars, and he should be styled Secre- tary and Financial Assistant.
I must also point out that I have not provided for the construction of new quar- ters on the mainland for the present Commissioner, because there is very ample accommodation for him on the island; if he is retained in Lis military position, I suppose his chief duties will be in connection with the fortification of the island, and when he is required for civil work on the mainland he can, at auy time, get to Matou in 15 minutes by steam launch.
34. There is, however, another course possible, and I feel bound to recommend that it be followed, until it is shown by experience whether my estimate of the capabilities of this territory, under the special conditions on which it has been taken over, is correct or not. If I have under-estimated the value of the place as a com- mercial investment, no harm will be done by giving it a little time to prove its worth; while, if I am right, Her Majesty's Government may not desire to spend more than is absolutely necessary on such a remote dependency, so peculiarly circumstanced as Weihaiwei.
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35. If the strictest economy be used my first estimate might be reduced in cer- tain particulars. Some of the works can be reduced in cost, some postponed, and some of the roads are not urgently required. Quarters for the Commissioner and financial officer must be provided, but à room in cach house could be arranged as a public office, though I would prefer to see a separate, if less expensive, building con- structed or purchased for use as a public office. Three Chinese houses might be bought and inade suitable as quarters for clerks and interpreters, while the orderlies' quarters and stables could be attached to the houses of the Commissioner and financial officer. Another Chinese house might be converted into a gaul at a small cost. The hospital is not a necessity, and a dispensary where patients can be seen and medicines dispensed is sufficient. It is perhaps a dangerous thing to open what would be a pauper hospital in a country where there are so many paupers. Then the repairs of the Chifu road might be postponed for the present, if it is ever likely to justify its cost. The roads (4) and (5) are not urgent, and it is extremely doubtful whether the work on them should be undertaken at all, because they serve their purpose in their present condition, and it is questionable whether there is any real need to remake them. On the other hand, there are places on some of the existing mule tracks where the gradient is so bad, or the formation so rough, that improvement is urgently re- quired, and 6,000 dollars might be devoted to this purpose. The road (1) should be constructed.
Much of this work might be done by contract, and I have provided a reduced staff for supervision.
The survey can wait, at any rate, for a year, and the cost of staff and all attendant expenses be saved.
If an allotment survey were made no Chinese landholder could afford to pay for it, and if the survey resulted in proving that people were not paying enough land tax, I am assured that they are so poor they could not meet any further demands on them. This does not sound very convincing, and I am myself always in favour of accurate survey and speedy land settlement to avoid future troubles; but here the circumstances are complicated by generations of occupation under curious customs (see enclosures and G), and the survey may well wait for at least a year. Meantime I suggest that, should difficulties arise in regard to properties divided by the new boundary, each case should be referred to the village Elders with appeal to the District Magistrate, and, if his decision were questioned, the case could stand over for the survey of the land, and the owner would then have to pay for the actual measured area claimed and admitted to be his property within our boundary.
36.
With these explanatory remarks, I now submit a revised estimate which might be tried for a year. It can be amended by additions if so desired, but will not, I think, admit of any further deductions.
Commissioner
Secretary and Financial Assistant Clerk and Interpreter
Second Clerk and Postmaster
Chinese Writer
Two Orderlies at $84
..
$7,200
2,400
600
600
480
Two mounted Orderlics at $96
192
168
Allowance to Superintendent Police
1,200
Allowance to Surgeon
600
Allowance to Superintendent Works (Royal Engi-
neer Officer)
600
Overseer of Works (Indian or Chinese) Gaoler and Warders
1,800
528
Five pony allowances (Commissioner and mounted
Orderlics, and Superintendent Works) Transport and personal allowance Purchase of ponies for Orderlies
900
800
200
700
600
$19,568
Office contingencies, stationery, uniforms, &c. Medical stores
Total
Say $20,000.