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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference --

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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If, after perusing them, you think fit to favour me with your views on their contents, I feel certain that my Committee would be grateful for any guidance in the matter which you can afford them.

I have, &c.,

WM. CAIUS CRUTCHLEY,

Secretary.

Sir Wm. Alexander Baillie-Hamilton, K.C.M.G., C.B.,

Chief Clerk of the Colonial Office,

Downing Street, S.W.

SIR,

Enclosure 1 in No. 24.

Navy League, Hong Kong Branch, July 9, 1898. On the 11th ultimo this branch of the Navy League telegraphed their congratu- lations to your Executive Committee as follows:-

"Congratulate Kowloon extension. Insist exclusion Chinese jurisdiction." This message was despatched on the strength of a Reuter's telegram supplied by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, dated "London, 10th June, 1898."

"The Kowloon Hinterland leased to Great Britain."

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"China has leased to Great Britain 200 square miles of territory around Hong Kong, including the mainland behind Kowloon to a line joining Mira Bay and Deep Bay, besides the waters of these bays and the island of Lantao." Since that date no public information as to the extension of the boundaries of the Colony has been available, nor have any preparations, so far as we are aware, for the delimitation and administration of the territory been made; but the announcement contained in the "China Mail" of the 29th ultimo (copy attached) of the appointment of the Colonial Secretary as Commissioner "to investigate upon the new territory about to be acquired" appears to this branch of the League to involve such deplorable and dangerous delay, that we hasten, as being those on the spot and therefore best acquainted with the situation, to warn you that the possible, nay probable, result of such procrastination will be that other Powers will formulate fresh demands on China as a set-off against our Kowloon extension, with the object of thwarting us. The French are now established at Kwong-Chau-wan within striking distance, 200 miles, of this British possession-a tremendous leap northwards from the borders of Tonkin.

We also desire to most strongly and emphatically deprecate the retention in our newly leased territory of any, even the smallest, semblance of Chinese control, jurisdiction, or administration, on whatever ground it may be urged. Even in our congratulatory telegram, which is quoted above, this warning note was sounded.

The Mandarine and the Chinese Customs, in which latter service many of the officers are foreigners, and as such ought not to be permitted to patrol our waters in launches, should be relegated to the northern side of the British boundary, which, for the reasons hereafter detailed, should be the parallel of 22° 40′ N., that is to say, considerably north of a line joining Mira Bay and Deep Bay.

In our letter of the 10th January last, we dealt with the fact of the Kowloon hills dominating our harbour and also of the surrounding islets offering shelter for possible enemies, and we demonstrated the necessity of Great Britain having undisputed and undivided control of the approaches to this Colony, and also of the waters of Mirs Bay.

From the Reuter's telegram above referred to, it appears that the waters of Mirs Bay (and of Deep Bay) are expressly included in the lease to Great Britain, but we do not consider that such a concession is sufficient, and we think that it is most unadvisable to draw the boundary line of our territory so far south as the proposed line joining Mirs Bay and Deep Bay, because a bar of the waters of Mirs Bay is useless unless the crests of the bills and headlands which dominate it are also included in the lease to us.

We would, therefore, strongly urge that the parallel of 22° 40′ N. should be the northern boundary of our territory, and for the same reason we would urge that the meridian 114° 43′ E. should be the eastern boundary,

These boundaries extend further North and East than those suggested by us

Not forwarded to C.O.

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originally, but upon matured consideration and for the reasons above stated, we consider that such enlarged boundaries are absolutely necessary.

We do not propose that the above suggested boundary should be fortified. A few police stations along the frontier on our side, and a few customs stations on the Chinese side would be amply sufficient, but the territory between 22° 40′ and the fortified Kowloon hills, would be of incalculable value as a permanent source of supplies to the garrison. At present we are absolutely and wholly dependent for beef, fowls, and vegetables on Canton and the Chinese. Greed might induce, or fear compel, the Mandarins at any time to cut off our supplies. If British rule extended up to 22° 40′ N., a teeming population such as would be attracted by justice and safety to life and property. would speedily produce continuous supplies for the fleet and garrison.

We think that it is doubtful whether purchases of lands made by speculators during the last two years within the recently leased territory, ought to be recognised as valid by the Hong Kong Government. At all events, such titles should only be recognised subject to the following conditions:

(1.) All land required for any naval or military purposes should at once be reserved for the use of the naval or military authorities as the case may be.

(2.) All land required for stock raising and ensuring reliable sources for pro. visioning the fleet and garrison should also be reserved. We want, in fact, to attract a large agricultural population into our new territory. Any incidental advantages that may accrue to the Colony, such as sites for manu- factories, increased facilities for housing the labouring population-as distinct from agricultural-must be absolutely subsidiary to the Imperial requirements which have induced this branch to advocate the acquisition of the hinterland and surrounding islets.

In the possibly not distant future, when the Kowloon-Canton railway has become an accomplished fact, it will be of the greatest importance that the line should be in British territory when approaching the seaboard.

Primarily this extension is necessary for the safety of Hong Kong, the base of the fleet in the East, and secondarily for the security of the sources of supply for the garrison that guards the base of the fleet. Had therefore, a military commission been appointed for the demarcation of the frontier, the selection of sites for forts and block houses, and the reservation of lands for cantonments, this Branch, whilst regretting the delay, every hour of which we are convinced is of most serious importance, would not have thought it necessary to address you on the subject, as the matter would have passed into the hands of experts.

We, however, view with alarm the possibility, which is suggested by recent events, that it may be in contemplation to retain the jurisdiction of the Chinese Authorities to a certain extent within the newly leased territory. Any such dual control between the British and Chinese Authorities would, in our opinion, prove unworkable, and would indubitably lead to a considerable loss of prestige on our part in the eyes of the Chinese, besides causing much friction and trouble,

party.

Delimitation is the prime necessity, and could be accomplished by a military survey Grave mistakes have been made in the past involving loss of prestige, for example, by tacitly acquiescing in the presence of the Chinese Custome in the Colony, and we would earnestly urge that all possibility of similar weakness in the future be carefully guarded against.

Every vestige of Chinese rule should be swept away between 22° 40′ N. on the North and the Gap Rock inclusive on the South, and between the meridians of 113° 40′ E. and 114° 45′ E. respectively.

In our original suggestion we advocated that the line to the South should include the Gap Rock and we beg leave to urgently repeat that recommendation. The importance of the Gap Rock is two-fold.— ·

1. It has a lighthouse upon it, the control of which ought to belong to Great

Britain in the event of war, and,

2. There is a direct cable from the Gap Rock to Hong Kong which might prove of

considerable service in time of war.

We leave entirely to the discretion of your Committee the question whether the whole › or any portion of this letter should be published.

In case we should wish to telegraph to you upon any of the points referred to in this

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