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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

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2. As you are aware from the telegram shown to you, Her Majesty's Government has decided that the Chinese Government shall be called upon to pay an indemnity on account of the action of the Viceroy previous to the date of the hoisting of the flag, and, pending the payment of the indemnity, the Sham Chun Valley is to continue to be held by us. The valley is, therefore, at present in military occupation by Her Majesty's forces, and as our civil jurisdiction does not run, the district is practically under martial law. I need not point out to you the great importance of dealing with the people of the valley with prudence and moderation, for they have been so dealt with since our troops advanced into the valley. I would suggest that you direct the various village elders and gentry to resume their local jurisdiction under the control of the O. C. Troops, and make them responsible for the peace and good order of their villages. As armed robberies have occurred, the population should not be disarmed, as the result would be that the well- disposed would lose their means of defence and the bad characters would conceal their arms for illegitimate use. The junks and boats from Hong Kong should be searched for arms, as we have undertaken that no arms shall be exported to China, and in cases where arms are seized on board, the persons implicated should be handed over to the police at Fontion, as the river is entirely in the leased territory. Of course, disorder should be put down with a strong hand, but, having regard to the fact that the valley may at any moment be restored to China, it will be well not to interfere in any way with the people pending further developments further than is necessary for the preservation of peace and order.

3. The cultivation of good relations with the people of Sham Chun Valley, and, if possible, the district to the north of it, may have important and beneficial results in the future.

I have, &c.,

(12.)

H. A. BLAKE,

Governor, &c.

From O. C. Troops, Cheung Po, to Chief Staff Officer, Hong Kong.

July 10, 1899. TELEPHONE wire was again cut yesterday. I have ordered culprit to be delivered or else shall impose a fine on village. It was reported at 9.30 p.m. last night that a mob up were threatening a man in St m Chun. I took a party to the town. The gates were shut. I waited a reasonable time and then broke them open and arrested three men for rioting. Body of man drowned has been found this morning.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

(18.)

12 July, 1899.

COPIES of telephone messages from Shamchun herewith. On receipt of the first I directed Major Prendergast to remain in command till further orders, as I was anxious to have a thoroughly reliable officer in charge. He has received full instructions as to how to act. These instructions were framed on the confidential memorandum received by me from Your Excellency. Of course all the confidential part was eliminated, but, simply, he has received full instructions how to act. I am making arrangements to carry out Your Excellency's wishes to substitute a company of Europeans for a company of the Hong Kong Regiment, and in time, if these Europeans continue well, I shall send more as substitutes.

(1.) To C. S. O.,

W. G. GASCOIGNE,

Major-General

11 July, 1899.

Am staying until to-morrow as there has been disturbance at Kak-tin-this should be promptly dealt with. Captain Rowcroft is away in Shamchun, Demanding fine for cutting of telephone wires.

PRENDERGAST.

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(2.) To C. S. O.,

12 July, 1899. MEASURES taken at Kak-tin were perfectly successful and no further trouble expected there. Elders at Shamchun are insubordinate, and strong measures may be necessary. Force in camp ample to deal with the situation.

Private and Confidential.

(14.)

O. C. F. F. Force.

Dear Long,

Cheung Po Camp, July 14, 1899. I HEAR unofficially that it is proposed to relieve part of the detachment H. K. R. here by a company of R. W. F. Before any such change in the composition of the force is decided upon I shall be glad to bring one point to the notice of the G. O. C., which, in my opinion, makes this an inopportune moment to effect such a change. the natives is such that all Sepoys not on duty must be rigorously confined to the

The temper of This is simply and effectually ensured by the order forbidding any man to leave camp camp. except in uniform, for no Sepoy would want to go out walking in uniform. The confine. ment to the precincts of the camp is no hardship to the Indian Sepoy, but I fear it would be very irksome to the British soldier, and probably there would be many cases of breaking out of camp. Soldiers entering the villages singly or in small parties would almost certainly be stoned in every case, which would lead to all sorts of trouble and increase the difficulties of the situation.

At the present moment there is perfect order in the villages surrounding the camp. Soldiers never enter these villages, nor bother the people, and the natives have been taught to show respect for the uniform, and they meet on friendly terms at the camp bazaar.

I am gradually extending my authority by inducing village elders to co-operate instead of obstructing. The Kak Tin elders (Kak Tin village was punished a few days ago) came to me yesterday in a very friendly spirit. The troops here now, both officers and men, thoroughly understand what is required of them when taken out on police duties, and I would prefer not to have any change made just at present. I need not say that I am not wishing to make any comparison between British and Indian troops to the disadvantage of the former, for that would be supremely ridiculous-but I do think that at this crisis the men here now would, from temperament and the experience they have gained lately, be more useful than troops new to the conditions and surroundings.

scene.

(15).

(From Major PRENDERGAST, R.E.)

"HONG KONG DAILY NEWS," 17 July, 1899.

CANTON NOTES.

(From the “Chung Ngoi San Po.")

A clan fight has broken out between the village of Wanghun and the village of Wantong, in Tungkan district. Over four thousand people took part in the conflict and great slaughter was effected on both sides. The local Magistrate went to the scene personally with some yamen runners to stop the fight, but to no purpose, the villagers taking no notice of him and con- tinuing their fight under his very eyes. The circumstances were reported to the Canton authorities and on the 11th instant Colonel Cheng Wai-lum was sent with a number of soldiers to restore order. When the Colonel arrived on the scene the fight was at once discontinued, but the fighters, being still in a very vindictive spirit, intend to resume hostilities as soon as the soldiers have left the On the 10th instant about a thousand robbers under the leadership of Foo Tean-hoi, Au Ban and Wan Kan, all well known robbers, plundered all the houses, big and little, in the market town of Lokteung, in Suntak district, where there are in all about three hundred houses. the town had made every preparation to meet the robbers, but as the latter greatly outnumbered The people of them, they were no match for them, so that the robbers were able to carry away the valuables from all the houses. They also burnt some honses. Some days previously to the attack the leaders of the robbers had written to the town demanding a large some of money under threat of burning and plundering all the shops if the demand was not complied with.

There are now about ten thousand bad characters banded together under the style of the Sam Tim Society, in the Hingling district, in the prefecture of Kaying. They all reside in the fastness of the mountains and occasionally issue forth to commit robberies or demand money by force in broad daylight. The villagers have had many encounters with them and mostly came off second best, as the robbers generally have a superiority of numbers. A few days ago they made an attack on the City of Hingling, the Magistrate of which, having no sufficient force, was obliged to shut all the city gates to prevent the attack. The Canton authorities have been telegraphed to and a military

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