CO882-(4-5) — Page 650

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O. 882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

DEAR CAPTAIN ROWCROFT,

316

(4).

Lilong, June 24, 1899. THE Colonel O'Gorman was so kind to write to me before he left your camp to return to Hong Kong. He wrote that you would be glad to hear, from time to time, from

us, in the Hinterland, about all what is going on in this region.

You have, perhaps, already heard from Mr. Maus in Thong then ha, that his family had to leave that mission-station last Wednesday because there is still a great excitement in that region. The last few days the large Punti villages between Lilong and Thong then ha had some gatherings of their headmen to consult (as it is rumoured) whether they could dare to send some rowdies to your camp during the night to do some mischief there.

As long as we had the heavy rains, the people were quiet. Wild rumours are now afloat again. But after all I don't believe that it will come to deeds. The Chinese are asually doing things according to their proverb " When he talks he frightens one to death, but when he comes to it he makes one die with laughter." As much as we could search out, the question of the disbandment of the gathered rowdies in Pantin was discussed in the various gatherings of the last few days. The proud Puntis in our neighbourhood cannot do that without boasting once more that they will try bye and bye to attack your

and to destroy some of our mission-stations. camp

be that after the disbandment may of the rowdies the country will be unsafe for some time. Last Monday a Chinese who returned with his family from Australia or Singapore was robbed by a gang of six robbers near Pantin.,

It

It was rumoured again that the Puntis of this region will stir up the people to raise * rebellion. I don't believe this. The sinews of war are lacking. They have also no leader and no weapons. But that could we see by this time, that the Chinese Government is quite powerless to bring the rowdies to order. When the Tunkun Mandarin with his soldiers came to Pantin, ten days ago, the people there treated him very contemptuously. He had no power to bring the graduate Yang to order, who issued the foul pamphlet, translation of which I sent to the Colonel the other day. This stupid man is still going on to instigate the people.

There is hope that quietness will return to the disturbed country in this region, when once the Frontier Question will be definitely settled.

my kindest regards, &c.,

With

M. SCHAUB.

P.S.--We just got the news that Mr. Mau's family could return to Thong then ha

to-day.

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The last few days I heard a good deal from the Hakkas in this region. They will not believe that Sham Chun will become Chinese again. They say "The English soldiers have already hoisted the British flag and issued a proclamation to tell the people of Sham Chun that they are now under the British Government and have not to pay duties to the Mandarins. The soldiers will certainly not give back what they have taken possession of in such a way.' 31

Those who try to explain this question of retrocession say, Certainly the English soldiers must, after all, fear a rising of the Punti population and will therefore retire in time." Others say they heard that some soldiers died in Sham Chum, consequently this spot must not be a lucky place for Britishers. The foreign devils fear to meet all kinds of misfortunes there and it will certainly not take a long time that they will give back the whole new territory to China. Some others look on this question in another light. They say, "Now we see the fan Kwei are after all like we Chinese, they are only looking for money. By giving up Sham Chun for $93,000 they make a very good business."

Everybody in this region fears that it will have a very bad effect on the Puntis in Pantin, &c., when it should really come to a giving back of Sham Chun.

We, with a many Chinese, are still hoping that it will not come to that. Would you kindly send our best regards to the Colonel O'Gorman.

Believe me, &c.,

DEAR MR. RowCROFT,

(7).

M. SCHAUB.

A many

Lilong, July 4, 1899. THERE is now a great excitement among the Chinese again. Robberies are nightly going on in the market Sam Chun and neighbourhood. The Chinese are now quite at a loss what to do. They say nobody is caring for them. They thought they are under the British Government, but now they have at last (for a time) neither an English nor a Chinese Government. Sinuggling of weapons (good revolvers) is going on. bad people are in Sam Chun and neighbourhood, all well armed. An hour ago, four robbers following two carriers of opium from Sam Chun, robbed them near our mission station, on a mountain pass. They fired with revolvers at them. The members of the secret societies are gathering again in Sam Chun and Sa then Kok. Last year a high mandarin wa in Sam Chun, and caught a lot of the rowdies and beheaded some of the leaders of the Triad society. A many fled to Hong Kong, Singapore, &c., but they return now to this region and render the country unsafe.

This unsettled state of affairs is very dangerous. There should soon something be done to stop the robberies in Sam Chun and neighbourhood.

With best regards, &c.,

MARTIN SCHAUB.

Lilong, June 27, 1899.

Dear Sir,

MANY thanks for your kind letter. The news of the retrocession of Sam Chun is not yet known by the Chinese in this region. Certainly the Chinese can't understand the politics of Great Britain and they will in their way explain the retrocession of Sam Chun. We hope that it will not have a bad effect on the population in this region when they hear it and they will not try to drive us away. As soon as I can hear how the Chinese in Than then, &c., look on this new phase of the Hinterland question, I shall write to you.

With kind, &c.,

Dear Mr. RowCROFT,

(6),

MARTIN SCHAUB.

Lilong, July 1, 1899.

You would perhaps like to hear what the Chinese any here about the question of the retrocession of Sam Chun,

I could not yet hear what the Puntis in the large villages of our neighbourhood say to this new movement of the British politic. I suppose they do not yet believe (perhaps have not yet heard) that your soldiers will leave Sham Chun.

SIR,

(8.)

From O. C. Troops, Frontier Field Force, to C. S. Officer, Hong Kong.

Camp Cheung Po, July 6, 1899.

I HAVE the honour to forward a letter received yesterday evening from Mr. Schaub reporting a somewhat disturbed state in this district.

1. On receipt of this letter I went into Sam Chun and interviewed the head man, Cheong Chi Lap. In reply to my inquiries he told me there had been three armed robberies lately in this neighbourhood; one on 29th June, about 10 p.m., in the village of Tai Sing; and two on 3rd July, in Sam Chun itself, between 7 and 8 p.m. No lives were lost and nobody was shot, the people in the houses robbed giving up everything to the robbers without resistance.

2. In reply to my query "Why was no report made to me about these robberies ?” Cheong Chi Lap replied that he was trying to get some evidence on the subject before reporting it. None of the robbers was recognised, and it is not known where they live nor where they come from. I ordered Cheong Chi Lap to report all such disturbances

to me at once in future.

3. I attach a copy of a notice which I am having written out in Chinone characters, and which have ordered Cheong Chi Lap to have posted in Sam Ghun and all the outlying villages. A similar notion will be sent so the head man of Shah-tau with orders to post it in that town and outlying villages.

(5).