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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :→→→
C.O. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
278
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.]
SIB,
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.,
J. G. T. BUCKLE,
pro Colonial Secretary.
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,
Canton.
[34.]
(No. 31.)
SIB,
[32.]
British Consulate, Canton, May 2, 1899.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your No. 38, of the 20th 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.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary,
Hong Kong.
I have, &c.,
R. W. MANSFIELD,
Consul.
(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.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.
I have, &c.,
R. W. MANSFIELD,
Consul.
Page 630Page 631
SIR,
(No. 60.)
280
[35.]
British Consulate, Canton, May 13, 1899. IN continuation of my despatch, No. 51, of the 2nd instant, I have the nonour to enclose translation of a despatch from the Viceroy in reply to mine embodying your No. 38 of the 29th ultimo, with regard to the question of the Customs Stations in the new territory.
The Honourable
SIR,
I have, &c.,
G. D. PITZIPIOS,
Vice-Consul,
(In the absence of H.B.M.'s Consul).
The Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.
Viceroy T'AN to Consul MANSFIELD.
(Translation.)
May 12, 1899.
I HAVE received your despatch conveying the views of the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the Kowloon Customs.
would observe that in the original Convention regarding the new territory, no mention is made of the removal of the Customs.
Some time
ago I received your note, embodying a telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong, to the effect that all the officials must be removed with the exception of the Customs officers. I have also received a telegram from Sir Robert Hart, Inspector- General of Customs, stating that a communication had been received from the Marquess of Salisbury, deferring the removal for six months. Having regard to these two state- ments of the Governor of Hong Kong and the Marquess of Salisbury respectively, it follows that there can be no question of ceasing to levy duties. But from April 16th Commissioner Hillier ceased to collect duties at two of the stations, and he will there- fore have to be called upon to make good the one month's deficit in duties and lekin at these two places. I have now instructed the Commissioner Po (Brazier ?) and the Deputy Commissioner Pai to co-operate with the Deputy Chang Chi, and proceed to the spot with a view to the adjustment of Customs affairs. They are also instructed to ascertain at what places Customs buildings should be erected for the prevention of smuggling.
I beg that you will request the Governor of Hong Kong to render every assistance, so that friendly relations may be maintained.
(Seal of Viceroy.)
281
At the request of Mr. Hillier, who stated that he has no place prepared in which to accommodate his staff, His Excellency the Governor permitted him to continue in occu- pation of such of the stations as were not required by this Government for police purposes, on condition that all arms were forthwith to be removed from British territory. The Viceroy should, however, understand that this large staff is kept idle for the present in consequence of His Excellency having neglected to make timely arrange- ments for their accommodation on the frontier.
Up to the present this Government has only required the use of three stations, but it is possible that at any moment the exigencies of police service may make it necessary to take over others, in which case, if the Viceroy has not caused accommodation to be prepared for Customs staff on Chinese territory, His Excellency the Governor fears they will suffer serious inconvenience.
It is hardly necessary to point out that the action of the Viceroy in leaving the new frontier entirely unguarded must result in considerable loss to the Chinese revenue by smuggling.
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,
SIR,
(No. 46.)
Canton.
[37.]
I have, &c.,
J. G. T. BUCKLE,
pro Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, May 8, 1899. I AM directed to transmit to you copy of a letter from the Captain Superinten- dent of Police, furnishing information concerning the principal actors in the murder of a messenger in the employ of this Government, named Tang Cheung Hing, which was perpetrated on the 17th ultimo at Ha Tsun, in the leased territory, under the circum- stances detailed in the enclosed copy of a petition from the uncle of the deceased.
I also enclose copies of statements made before Mr. Lockhart by the son of the murdered man and by a clansman relative to the finding of the body.
His Excellency the Governor will be obliged if you will be good enough to move the Viceroy to issue immediate and peremptory instructions to the San On magistrate to arrest the persons mentioned by Mr. May, and when this has been done the latter will co-operate with the Chinese authorities in making search for them.
When the men are arrested the necessary witnesses will be sent to the Chinese court to give evidence.
His Excellency the Governor is exceedingly anxious that these men should be brought to justice, and I am to ask you to use every endeavour in that direction.
Í have, &c.,
J. G. T. BUCKLE,
pro Colonial Secretáry.
[36.]
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul,
Canton.
[38.]
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
5PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
(No. 52.) SIR,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, May 16, 1899. I AM directed to acknowledge the receipt of the Vice-Consul's letter, No. 60, of the 13th instant and its enclosure respecting the question of the Customs Stations in the new territory.
With reference to the Viceroy's remarks on the subject contained in his despatch to you of the 12th instant, I am to observe that in three stations only, viz., Capsuimoon, Fotochow, and Cheung Chow, are the Customs officials permitted by Her Majesty's Government to remain until buildings outside the leased territory have been prepared for them, but under no circumstances later than October next. In the meantime they can only collect in those waters such duties as shippers choose to pay for convenience, and have no coercive powers whatever.
As regards the other stations, the Chinese officials have all ceased to collect duties, Mr. Hillier, the Commissioner, having been informed by the Governor that His Ex- cellency could not allow such collection nor the continuance of any armed [?] in those stations.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Police Office, May 4, 1899.
I HAVE the honour to report that, from enquiries made, there appears to be little doubt that the principal actors in the murder of the messenger Tang Cheung, who was murdered at Ha Tsun on the 17th ultimo, were the persons following:-
1. Tang Tsing Sz.
2. Tang I Shek.
3. Tang A Nin.
4. Tang Chik Ting.
The description of these men, who are all natives of Ha Tsun, in the Un Long Division of the San On District, is as follows:-
No. 1.
About 40 years of age, clean shaved, tall, slender built.
No. 2.
About 50 years of age, wears moustache, tall, medium built.
No. 3. No. 4.
No description to hand at present, but I can get a man to point him out. About 40 years of age, tall, clean shaved, spare built.
1518
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