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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

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TTILAC.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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moved to Sha T'ou Chio. I have telegraphed to Deputy Wang to inform the Governor. of Hong Kong.

(Card of Viceroy.)

(No. 27.) SIR,

I AM directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, en- closing translation of a note received from the Viceroy relative to the removal of Chinese officials and soldiers from the new territory, and with reference thereto to express the Governor's regret that the military officers have disobeyed the instructions issued by the Viceroy, No protection whatever was given to the erections that His Excellency had undertaken to protect; on the other hand, the Governor is informed that large numbers of Chinese subjects entered the leased area, having concentrated at Sam-Chün and other places north of the boundary, that they occupied points of military vantage, dug extensive entrenchments, and some thousands were in a position commanding the landing place at Taipo-Hü on the 15th instant. These men were fully armed and had artillery. They were regularly uniformed and carried flags, one of which subsequently captured in repulsing the attack made upon Her Majesty's troops is the official flag of the local forces of the Chinese Government. The company of Her Majesty's troops who marched out to Taipo-Hü on the 15th, to prepare for the ceremony of the 17th instant, of which the Governor had duly informed the Viceroy, was assailed by those men with a heavy fire, and their capture of the intrenchments and regular emplacements for light artillery did not prevent renewed attacks on the 16th and 17th instant upon Her Majesty's forces then assembled at that point, after the territory had been formally taken over.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, April 19, 1899.

The result of such attacks upon British troops is simply the inconvenience of pursuit, but in pursuing the force that attacked on the 17th two pieces of ordnance were captured. At the same time it has been reported to the Governor that large numbers of men have intrenched themselves on the heights above Castle Peak Bay. Those bodies of armed and uniformed men have robbed the people and burnt some of their villages. His Excellency has given orders for their dispersal and capture.

It must be evident to the Viceroy that such extensive military preparations could not have been made without the knowledge and connivance of the Chinese officials of the San-On district, especially at Sam-Chün, which is close to the ferry, and of the soldiers who are stated by His Excellency to have been sent by him to keep order.

When the entire circumstances have been reported to Her Majesty's Government, His Excellency the Governor has no doubt that due satisfaction for the unprovoked aggression will be insisted upon.

His Excellency has, in addition to the 300 men sent to Kowloon, sent a further force of 300 men.

The Colonial Secretary has received an intimation from Deputy Wang that he has received instructions to remove 300 soldiers to Sha-Tau-Kok, leaving their arms and uniforms in Kowloon City, and to order the Kowloon Colonel to direct the local military officers and soldiers to come into Kowloon city.

Being under instructions from Her Majesty's Government, His Excellency the Governor has now to request that you will inform the Viceroy that he requests all troops and arms to be removed from Kowloon city on or before the 24th instant, as Kowloon cannot be made an arsenal and station for troops within it, such use and occupation being inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hong Kong.

I have, &c.,

Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,

Canton.

J. G. T. BUCKLE,

Per Colonial Secretary.

Enclosure 20 in No. 172.

SI,

British Consulate, Canton, April 18, 1899. THE Viceroy has requested me to forward another communication to His Ex- cellency the Governor with regard to the removal of the Chinese officials from the new

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territory. I do so merely as a matter of routine and to complete the archives, and not because the despatch, translation of which I have the honour to enclose, adds anything new to the controversy.

The Viceroy persistently ignores the first and more material part of His Excellency the Governor's reply to the question regarding the removal of the officials, propounded at the close of the interview. As you will doubtless remember, His Excellency's reply was as follows:-

"R

I have already stated my views on this point, and it is not necessary to again allude to it."

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary,

Hong Kong.

(Translation.)

From Viceroy T'AN.

I have, &c.,

G. D. PITZIPIOS,

Vice-Consul.

SIR,

April 17, 1899. THE other day I received your despatch, stating that I had misunderstood the statement of His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong with regard to the Kowloon Customs. To this despatch I replied at once.

At the interview with the Governor of the 2nd April, I informed His Excellency that the Customs could not be removed. When His Excellency was just leaving I again said that it was not necessary to allude to the question of the Customs. His Excellency also said that he would not again allude to it. At the time Mr. Lockhart, the Vice- Consul, and some ten civil and military officials were present, and they all heard what was said.

Now His Excellency suddenly repudiates (the whole conversation) by alleging that I misunderstood him. Thus the words of the Governor cannot be depended upon, and hereafter in the transaction of all business I shall be altogether unable to feel any confidence.

I must therefore again request you to ask the Governor to take action in accordance with his first statement, so that entire confidence may be maintained and due weight attached to friendly relations. My gratitude and respect will be unbounded.

(Seal of Viceroy.)

SIR,

(Confidential. No. 28.)

I have, &c.,

Colonial Secretary's Office, April 20, 1899. I AM directed to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Pitzipios' letter of the 18th instant, forwarding copy of a further communication from the Viceroy relative to the removal of the Chinese Customs from the new territory, and to refer you to my letter, No. 26 (Confidential) of yesterday, which explained the misunderstanding on the part of the Viceroy as to the effect of the conversation which took place between His Excel- lency and the Governor on the subject.

2. In this connection I am to request you to assure the Viceroy that His Excel- lency the Governor is most anxious that there shall be as little dislocation of the Chinese Customs service as possible, and with this object in view deferred the taking over of the leased territory. Further, that His Excellency is at the present time con- sulting Mr. Hillier, the Commissioner of Customs for Kowloon and District, as to the Opium Ordinance, in order to secure that the most stringent measures shall be taken to prevent opium smuggling, and is most cordially co-operating with that official in the difficult position in which he finds himself owing to the fact that the Viceroy's miscon- ception of the effect of the Convention prevented timely precautions being taken by the establishment of Customs stations on the new boundary line.

3. In order that the Viceroy's memory may be refreshed as to what passed between His Excellency and the Governor at their interview, I am to enclose for his information particulars of the conversation which took place on the subject of the Customs, com- piled from the notes taken by Mr. Stewart Lockhart at the interview, and by His Ex- cellency's Private Secretary and A.D.C. immediately after.

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The Governor has no doubt that when the Viceroy has read them His Excellency will withdraw his imputations, and secure the continuance of those cordial relations between the Governments of their respective Excellencies that can only be insured by mutual respect.