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of the kind was the case, and I beg you to inform the Governor that there is no necessity for such deep suspicion. The 300 soldiers who were at Shen Ch'uan have already been moved by Admiral Ho to the Bogue. The 600 men, sent from Canton, returned here on the 21st, and at present there is not a single soldier in Kowloon, so it is not necessary to wait for the limit of time given, namely, the 24th.

The Governor of Hong Kong first requested me to send troops, and, when I under- took to do so within three days, he objected to the delay. When he subsequently in- sisted that, after the hoisting of the flag, officials and soldiers must be at once removed, and would not be allowed to remain even for a short time, I complied in every respect. This is in keeping with the sentiment in your despatch, to the effect that mutual respect is necessary to the maintenance of cordial relations. Hereafter pray do not again mention the word satisfaction.

SIR,

(Translated by G. D. Pitzipios, Vice-Consul.)

(No. 38.)

[31.]

I have, &c.,

(Seal of Viceroy.)

April 29, 1899.

I AM directed to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential letter, No. 48, of the 24th instant and its enclosures.

With reference to the question of the Customs in the new territory, His Excellency the Governor fails to see how there can be any mistake as to his statements. The position of the Customs has been clearly defined by Her Majesty's Government, and that position has been conveyed to His Excellency the Viceroy by the Tsung Li Yamen, as stated by him in his despatch of the 10th instant.

The Customs' officials have no authority to exercise any functions within the leased area, but His Excellency the Governor has informed the Commissioner that he has no desire to inconvenience him by insisting upon the immediate removal of his staff of officials, pending the arrangement for their accommodation in their new stations, except in cases where it becomes necessary for the police forces of this Colony to occupy the stations. His Excellency therefore excepted Customs' officials from the general request that Chinese officials should be removed from the new territory.

The three stations at Capsuimoon, Fotochow, and Cheung Chau are allowed by Her Majesty's Government to remain in the occupation of the Customs until accommo- dation is provided for them outside the boundary of the leased area, which the Chinese Government is urged to have prepared with the least possible delay, as the staff are not to be permitted to occupy those stations later than October.

This concession does not give any legal status to the officers of the Chinese Cus- toms, who cannot exercise any coercive functions in the waters of the leased area,

In this matter the Governor's action has been purely ministerial, and His Excel- lency offers no objection to the Customs' officials receiving Customs' duties from those who wish to pay them so long as they occupy the stations mentioned.

Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,

Canton.

I have, &c.,

J. G. T. BUCKLE,

pro Colonial Secretary

(No. 40.)

279

[33.]

SIR,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, May 4, 1899. WITH reference to the Viceroy's despatch of the 23rd ultimo (a translation of which accompanied your letter of the 24th idem), having reference to the destruction of the matsheds at Taipo Hu on the 3rd ultimo, and the subsequent disturbances in the leased territory, I am directed to state that His Excellency the Viceroy has apparently been misinformed on the subject.

The erection of the matsheds was only begun on the 1st April, on a site selected by the villagers. A matshed had been begun on the 31st March, but as the villagers objected to the site, Mr. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, asked them to select another site, which they did, and thereupon Mr. May directed the matshed to be taken down at once, and removed to the site selected by the villagers. This was apparently satisfactory to them, and Mr. May left for Hong Kong promising them that he would return on Monday, the 3rd April. He left two policemen with the workmen to guard the property.

On hearing this His Excellency the Governor instructed Mr. May to withdraw those police, and it was for that purpose that the latter proceeded on Monday, taking with him four unarmed policemen, simply as a formal escort accompanying the head

of the force.

In accordance with the telegram received from the Viceroy of Canton, the Chinese official at Kowloon sent five Chinese soldiers with Mr. May to assure protection to the matshed and the workmen, so that at the moment when the riotous disturbance began the property was in charge of the Viceroy's troops, and was being erected with his express sanction.

His Excellency the Viceroy has also been misinformed as regards the reconstruc- tion of the matshed. In accordance with the instructions issued by him to his officials within the leased area, application was made by them to the Colonial Secretary to inti- mate where he wished the soldiers to be stationed and in what numbers. The Colonial Secretary requested that 200 men should be sent to Taipo Hu, and this Government had no reason at that time to suppose that they were not sent.

The reconstruction of the matsheds was begun on the 9th April, and completed on the 14th. The police went on the latter date to take over possession, so as to be pre- pared for the ceremony of hoisting the British flag on the 17th. They found the shed burnt, and it was evident that the protection that the Viceroy had undertaken to give had not been afforded.

His Excellency forgets that the territory only remained in possession of the Chinese Government on the distinct understanding that ample protection to the matsheds was to be given.

As to the enquiry why matsheds should have been put before the taking over of the territory, no matshed was completed before the Viceroy was informed, and had ex- pressly undertaken the responsibility of protecting them.

I have, &c.,

Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,

Canton.

[34.]

J. G. T. BUCKLE,

pro Colonial Secretary.

(No. 31.)

SIR,

[32.]

British Consulate, Canton, May 2, 1899.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your No. 38, of the 29th ultimo, relative to the question of the Customs stations in the new territory, and to inform you that I have embodied it in a despatch to the Viceroy.

I have, &c.,

(No. 53.)

SIR,

→

British Consulate, Canton, May 5, 1899. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your No. 40, of yesterday's date, relative to the destruction of the matsheds at Tai Po Hu, which has been duly embodied in a despatch to the Viceroy,

I have, &c.,

R. W. MANSFIELD,

Consul.

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary,

Hong Kong.

R. W. MANSFIELD,

Consul.

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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