PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
TELC.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
39755
128
No. 119.
MR. A. GRAY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received September 24, 1902.)
SIR,
September 23, 1902. Ex reply to Mr. Lucas's letter of the 25th August (22815/1902),* on the subject of a reference to Part V. of the Wei-lmi-Wei Order in Council, in a report made by the Acting Assistant Commissioner, I have the honour to report as follows :~-
Whell the Wei-hai-Wei Order was in preparation, very little information was prenable with respect to the territory and its judicial requirements. It did not appear to be known what magistrates would be required, or what class of men would E available for the office, having regard to the emoluments which might be offered. It was therefore determined that much should be left to be provided by Ordinance; mad this intention is specially expressed in Articles 63 and 67 with regard to juris- ddiction in bankruptcy and probate respectively.
U respectfully suggest that the Commissioner should be instructed to make, by Oodinner, such provision for the civil jurisdiction of magistrates, and for appeals to the High Court as may be proper, having regard to the circumstances of the place, and the legal qualifications of the magistrates. Matters of mere procedure may then be dealt with by Rules of Court under Article 19.
39999
SIR,
No. 120.
I have, &c.,
A. GRAY.
SIR T. JACKSON 16 COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received September 25, 1902.) [Copy to Treasury, September 27, 1902. L.A]
[Answered by No. 121.]
Stanstend, Essex, September 24, 1902. IBG to reply to your letter of the 22nd instant,† in which you enclosed a copy of a despatch from the Commissioner of Wei-hai-wei on" the subject of the currency of the Dependency.
Copper cash is the prior mau's currency all over China; I am not surprised to kur thai at present land tax at Wei-dai-wei is paid in that cumbrous medium.
I have no doubt in the course of time the conivenience of using a silver subsidiary mage will be appreciated, but the change can only come gradually, and in the antime the Cotumissioner will do well not to foree matters.
Regarding the introduction of British dollars, we had some difficulty in getting The Chinese to take them in Hong Kong; their conservative objections were soon exereume, they now realize that the British is a better minted and a more reliable co than the Mexican dollar. They are more evenly assayed and of a more uniform weight.
Both coins profess to be of the same weight and fineness, say, 900/1000 and 416 grains.
The Mexican dollars are so unevenly minted that while no doubt some of them wanki weigh 417 grains or over, others would he under 416 grains.
Chinese bankers at Chefoo will struggle to maintain the old Mexican dollar as their currency, because they can be disposed of in Shanghai (often at a good prievi, the native bankers at the latter port having proved themselves sufficiently powerful to exclude the British dollar from their märket.
Tu my opinion the British Government ought to insist on British dollars being corrent at Wei hai-wei us a legal tender coin.
I am, &c.,
T. JACKSON.
39999
SIR.
129
No. 121.
COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR T. JACKSON.
[Austered by No. 122.]
Downing Street, September 27, 1902. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th' instant,* on the subject of the currency of the Dependency of Wei-hai-wei.
2. I am to enquire whether the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corpora tion has yet applied to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury for permission to establish a banking branch at Wei-hai-wei, as suggested in the letter from this office of the 29th of July last.†
40865
No. 122.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION to COLONIAL
SIR,
OFFICE.
(Received October 1, 1902.)
[Copy to Commissioner, October 9, 1902, No. 37. L.F.] [Acknowledged October 9, 1902 (40865): not printed.]
31, Lombard Street, London, E.C., September 30, 1902.
I AM in receipt of your letter, No. 39999/1902, of the 27th instant, † and beg to say that the Ilongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation has not yet applied 16 the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury for permission to open a branch at Wei-hai-wei.
On receipt of your letter of July 29th,† I wrote to our Head Office at Hongkong recommending the opening of a branch there, and, in reply, received the following from the Chief Manager at Hong Kong ;-
“Wei-hai-wei.—It will be interesting to hear what the Colonial Office had to
say about the future of this port.
As mentioned in a foriner letter, Mr. Stewart Lockhart promised to report to
us when he was in a position to show reasonable prospect of a development of trade
to warrant the bank opening a branch there."
And, by last mail, our Chief Manager also wrote:—
· Wei-ħai-wei.—I have not heard yet from Mr. Stewart Lockhart. I doubt it
there is any trade so far.”
It is under these circumstances that no action has, so far, been taken, but I have recommended that application be made to His Majesty's Government for permission to open an agency at Wei-hai-wei whenever Mr. Stewart Lockhart reports in favour of our so doing.
41220
(Confidential.)
SIR,
No. 123.
I am, &c.,
T. JACKSON
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received October 4, 1902.)
Foreign Office, October 3, 1902 I LAID before the Marquess of Lansdowne your letter of the 25th of August, & transmitting a report on Wei-hai-Wei by Mr. G. T. Hare, recently Acting Assistant Commissioner of that. Dependency.
His Lordship is advised that the views expressed by Mr. Hare in paragraph à. of his report as to the nationality of Chinese residents in Wei-hai-Wei are corret
I am, &c.,
FRANCIS BERTIL
* No. 112.
+ No, 118,
• No. 120.
↑ No. 107.
+ No. 121.
9661
§ No. 113.
&