PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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FLEETC.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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every man is his brother's keeper, and the responsibility of parents for the doings of the family is strictly enforced by immemorial usage. In short, nothing can ever lappen in a Chinese village without at once incurring the intervention of the prin eds and their tamilies of many generations, to say nothing of the intervention of all the neighbous, niends, relations and headmen. This spirit of family responsibility leans (Veryone to interiere as a matter of course and out of self-protection in all his neighboms' affairs, for fear of the village being involved in trouble, and held collec- vely sponsible to the District Magistrate. In the Wei-hai-wei district this organiza- ten is in excellent working order and immensely simplifies the village administration. The headmen and villagers, too, support the system by expelling their own folk who insist on ganging their own gait, and by retusing to allow any strangers to settle ze wander as vagiants in the villages,
juice,
All that the civil power has to do is to strongly support the authority of the ntainen, and through them hold the villagers responsible for any breach of the As a matter of fact, very few offences against property or the person are és mumitted in the district by the Chinese villagers. The offenders are nearly always dislunded Chinese troops and other bad characters from Chefoo or the Central Pre- Icebimus, It must be clear, therefore, that no large Civil Polic Force is required for
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ang parpuses proper. In fact, a few extra mounted “ting chai," or office- messenge is such as are now attached to the office of the Assistant Commissioner, would ja silcient Nothing should be done to weaken the influence and authority of the benduen in the villages, and for this reason, perhaps, it would be best to confine any para polite messengers to headquarters at Mahto, and not erect any police stations Llandd (where a native police sergeant in charge might easily acquire influence and authority in antagonisni to that of the village headmen) unless further experience
hows that it is really necessary for the protection of the villages.
With regard to the military protection of the territories and islands, there are differetal issues to be considered, and the two questions (policing the district by a civil police staff and providing military means for protecting the Settlement), should Le kept distinct and considered apart.
Presuming that the War Office is decided to withdraw or disband the 1st Chinese Regiment, the question arises what military force, if any, it will be necessary for the 4klony to provide at its own expense. This is a very important point, because the cost of a military parrison for Colonial purposes will be a heavy burden on the Home Treasury. The Parliamentary grant-in-aid is now approximately £12,000 a year. When all publie werks are finished in 1904, this grant may be reduced to about £9,000 for current expenditure. But this excludes the cost of a new military garrison, for- merly Lorne by the War Office. As there are no means of increasing the Colonial revenue in futine to any appreciable extent, and reducing the home grant, it is clear that in establishing a military force economy must be the first consideration. The evidence and experience of the last three years shows very clearly that the mainland district is exceptionally free from crime and that the people are unusually well disposed and friendly to the British Authorities. The explanation of this is simply that the natural character of the Chinese peasants here is exceptionally peaceful and honest, agal that there are no turbulent clans kere continually fighting with each other as in the south of China, and that the district is isolated and independent, and not near Dy very large Chinese town. As far, therefore, as the preservation of order and the prevention of crime is concerned, the Colonial Government does not really require any military rolice in reserve for supporting the civil police. It must not be forgotten te that all Chinese villages are self-policed and self-governed in this way all over China, and that it is only in turbulent and unruly districts, where secret societies are rife and the unemployed and lawless criminal classes, bred from great towns, pre- dominate, that the Chinese Government itself falls back upon military force. It may be well to mention here that the Boxer anti-foreign movement had little or no influence on Wei-hai-wei, and that no anti-foreign feeling has been noted as yet in the district. From the above it follows that the Colonial Government requires a military guard not so much for actual police work as for the sake of upholding the national prestige of the Colonial Government, and being held as a power in reserve as a deterrent in energencies. Without some military force being held in reserve, Europeans would not regard the mainland as altogether safe. It would be best that this military force should, if possible, he British. The number is unimportant, as they would have no special duties to perform. In short, it is only the outward and visible presence of the British guard that is needed. Their military services, practically speaking, would
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probably not be required more than once or twice a year, if ever at all, in any special ouble where it might be advisable to support civil authority by a display of force. As a matter of fact, there is no necessity to maintain more than 50 privates, with one ton-commissioned officer in charge on the mainland as a military guard for these particular purposes. On the island, which is the official headquarters of the British Government, no nilitary guard would be required there in addition to the municipal police, as there are no Chinese on the island in a position to make trouble. As regards the general question of what display of military force is necessary to support the evil authority on the mainland, it must be remembered that the presence of British attleships in the Bay of Wei-lai-wei exercises a strong deterrent influence on the mainland against anything in the form of organized resistance to the established authority, and that the battles between the Chinese and Japanese warships in the harbour of Wei-hai-wei in 1896, and the occupation by Japan in 1890-1898 have left vivid and lasting impressions of the resources of foreign powers on the minds of the inhabitants of the leased area. Further, the sight of the British and Indian armed troops of the China expeditionary force, that made Wei-hai-wei their transport and hospital base in 1900 in the Boxer dsturbances, has also given the Chinese of the district a fair idea of the resources of the British Government. All this knowledge and these impressions has, apart from other reasons, tended to make it unnecessary to maintain more than a nominal Colonial military guard. It would undoubtedly be best if the Admiralty could arrange to station some 40 or 50 Marines at Mahto as a Colonial guard,
Failing this, the next best course would be to maintain a small body of 50 armed Sikhs, in charge of a native non-commissioned officer of good standing. Possibly the Government of India could arrange to detail men and an officer for this service, the Settlement paying the expenses of transport and maintenance. For several obvious reasons, which it seems unnecessary to go into, it would be inadvisable to employ Chinese as a military guard. A few of the corporals and sergeants of the 1st Chinese Regiment, natives of the district, whose conduct is good, and who can also furnish reurity for good behaviour, might, however, on the disbandment of the regiment, be taken on in the police force. The organization of the police and provision for a military guard can only be carried out efficiently and economically on some such lines as those suggested above.
It is entirely unnecessary to do more for civil ends than what is advanced above, and for purposes of military protection and defence the small military guard suggested could always be reinforced at any moment if ever occasion should arise by a party of bluejackets from His Majesty's flect in the bay.
The Mahto Municipality and Police,
70. The Municipality at Mahto has been carried on most economically and efficiently up to the end of 1901 by Mr. Schaller, the Chinese Secretary of the 1st Chinese Regiment (now retired). There are five Municipal coolies; three sweep the streets, one looks after the lamps, and one is a general messenger. The headman collects the house assessment and other fees, and supervises the work of the coolies. The monthly Municipal rent collected is about $50, and the expenditure is about $40. These Municipal coolies and the headman are also used as Civil Police by the District Magistrate. Practically the only disturbances, and they are few, that occur at Mahto are caused by the soldiers of the 1st Chinese Regiment quarrelling amongst them- selves, and it is now proposed to patrol the town with military police. It would be Proper well to spend some money on Mahto and improve the sanitation there.
The quarters for the Municipal staff have just been purchased by Government. Municipal coolies should be put in proper uniform.
The four Chinese watclimen that now patrol the streets should be replaced by six policemen (when the new Civil Police Force is created), who should patrol the Bund Pier and main street at all times. Two Municipal coolies should be added, and be placed under the orders of the Colonial Surgeon to deal with the question of town refuse, removal of night soil, &c.
Government Printing.
71. There is no Government press at present, but a printing machine has lately been acquired by Government from a local firm, and it is proposed to engage a coni- positor, who can be used as a clerk in the Commissioner's office when not employed at
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