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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.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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P.S.-The C.S.P. informs me that some of the villagers from this territory have gone to Hong Kong, and tried to make people believe that they knew nothing about the cession of the territory to Great Britain. You will observe that petitioners make no such plea, and you will, of course, remember that I sent Mr. Tsoí round with the proclamation of the San On District Magistrate, which Mr. Tsoi himself posted in all the chief villages. Your Excellency's proclamation would also have been more widely distributed had not the people murdered the person sent to distribute them.

Enclosure 17 in No. 171.

J. H. S. L.

All good villagers should return to their villages and carry on their work as usual. If bad characters attempt to interfere with them an immediate report should be made, and they will be dealt with without mercy.

J. H. STEWART Lockhart,

Colonial Secretary.

The Camp, Ping Shan,

April 20, 1899.

Enclosure 18 in No. 171.

Copies of Messages sent by me to His Excellency the Governor.

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,

L.

Taipo, April 17, 1899.

I STRONGLY recommend sending troops to neighbourhood Castle Peak, co-operate with Berger, now at Sheung Tsun, and sending "Fame" Deep Bay. Am informed that Chinese are strongly entrenched Castle Peak, and that Kam Tin is the chief offender in the disturbance. The removal of its walls would have a good effect.

II.

Taipo, April 18, 1899.

My message above could not be sent on account of rain. Colonel O'Gorman has decided to proceed to Sheung Tsun, to join Berger, meeting Simmonds on the way. I am going with him, accompanied by Tsoi, to show the way and give what assistance I can. I hope troops have landed Castle Peak and "Fame" has proceeded Deen Bay.

III.

GOVERNOR,

Sheung Tsun, Tuesday, April 18, 1899. REACHED Sheung Tsun 12.30. Chinese have fired on troops, who are now re- turning the fire. 3 p.m.

GOVERNOR,

IV.

LOCKHART.

Sheung Taun, Wednesday, April 19, 1899. PASSED the night at Sheung Tsun. No trouble. All had a good night. Start for Un Long at 7.30 a.m., and will stay in that neighbourhood to-night.

LOCKHART.

V.

GOVERNOR,

Ping Shan, Wednesday, April 19, 1899. ARRIVED Ping Shan 1 p.m. No resistance of any kind offered, either here or at Ha Tsun or at Un Long, which we visited. Rumoured that a British force landed Deep Bay, proceeded Castle Peak. We have neither seen it nor been informed regarding ít.

GOVERNOR,

REMAINED here all day. he is stationed at Kam Tin Hu, well. No signs of resistance. their villages.

VI.

LOCKHART.

Ping Shan, Thursday, April 20, 1899. Major Morris has reported to Colonel O'Gorman that and has completed the work of demolition there. All The villagers in this neighbourhood are returning to

LOCKHART.

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Enclosure 19 in No. 171.

Ping Shan, Monday, April 24, 1899. We leave here to-morrow for Fan Ling, leaving behind us 50 men and a native

J. H. S. L.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

officer.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

3 p.m.

Enclosure 20 in No. 171.

Sheung Shui (near Fan Ling), April 26, 1899. Wr left P'ing Shan yesterday morning at 8.30 a.m., and reached Sheung Shui at All the villages along the route received us with crackers, and had the white flag of submission flying in front of their villages. The elders in each village came out to receive us, and I told them in each instance that all good people would be protected, and should return to their work as usual, and that disturbers of the peace would be severely dealt with. I requested them to co-operate with the Government authorities in bringing bad characters to justice.

The elders of the small villages expressed a hope that they would be specially protected from the bullying they have been experiencing from large villages, and informed them that protection would be afforded to all, whether strong or weak.

The following are the villages through which we passed, and at which we were received by the elders:-

1. Sha Po, in the Kam Tin District.

2. Pok Wai

3. Chuk Un

4. Mai Po

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5. San Tin, in the Sheung U Division (including the villages of Tso Tau and

Lok Ma Chau).

6. Ho Sheung, in the Sheung U Division.

7. Sheung Shui

8. Shek Ü

9. Fan Ling

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The two last places were visited after we had reached Sheung Shui.

Petitions have been presented by:-

1. San Tin (including Tso Tau and Lok Ma Chau). This is one of the largest

villages in the territory, and has a population of over 2,000 people.

2. Wo Sheung Heung.

3. Sheung Shui.

4. Kam Ts'in and In Kong.

5. Fan Ling (including So Kou Po and Fan Ling Lau).

San Tin, Sheung Shui, and Fan Ling are the largest villages in this part of the territory. The inhabitants of the two latter were very insolent to Mr. May when he visited them last month to select a site for a police station.

All the petitions are couched in terms exactly identical with those presented at Ping Shan, translations of which have been already forwarded.

I have informed the petitioners that they should carry on their various occupations

as usual, and inform the villagers, as I have already done, that well-behaved people will be protected and disturbers of the peace punished. I have also told them that the Government expects the gentry, elders, and villagers to co-operate in the maintenance of peace and good order.

I handed to the petitioners copies of Your Excellency's Chinese proclamation and Chinese translations of the Local Communities Ordinance, with the request that they would take steps to explain the contents of the latter to the inhabitants within this district.

I also called upon the petitioners to surrender all arms in their possession, and they have just gone off to bring them. I am afraid they will not be back before Major Kos, who came here last night, has to leave for Taipo to catch the launch which will take him to Hong Kong.

I attach a sketch* of the flag hoisted in front of the larger villages we passed, with a translationt of the characters on it. The flags in front of the smaller villages are. plain white, with no characters on them.

• Nat reproduced.

STA

↑ “Submissive and loyal people residing within British territory”—J. H. 8. L.

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