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territory should be omitted from the proposed Declaration, and that the same should be confined to spheres of interest, I beg to suggest that an examination of the documents and papers relating to the holdings of the other Great Powers shows that they largely consist of territory leased for limited terms of years, and yet are not subject to the same objection which applies to the Hong Kong Extension, but rather are in the same category as Wei-hai Wei, which we agree may properly be embraced in the Declaration. It would therefore be unfortunate in this respect to omit all reference to leased territory in the Declaration proposed to be made by Her Majesty's Government, as it would naturally induce the other Powers to insist upon the same limitation, without the same reason which applies to the Hong Kong Extension, and so exclude such leased territory, which, like Wei-hai Wei, should naturally and properly be embraced in it.

I was at first inclined to propose that the Declaration should be made in the form proposed by my Government, with a special proviso that none of its clauses should be regarded as applying to the Hong Kong Extension; but the same objection would lie to that form. Other Powers would insist upon similar provisos, without the same

reason.

One consideration of this matter in our interview of the 1st November leads me. now to propose that the Declaration to be made by Her Majesty's Government should be so framed as to apply expressly to the territory of Wei-hai Wei, and' to all future territory in China which may hereafter be acquired by Great Britain by lease or otherwise, and to all spheres of interest now held or hereafter to be held by her in China.

I shall be glad to hear that the form of Declaration now proposed will be agreeable to Your Lordship.

I have advised my Government that you will desire to be informed of what the other Powers are willing to do in the premises before giving final consideration to the Declaration to be made by Her Majesty's Government.

34746.

No. 11.

I have, &c.,

JOSEPH H. CHOATE.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY to MR. CHOATE. (Confidential).

YOUR EXCELLENCE,

Foreign Office, November 30, 1899.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 15th instant* relative to the Declaration which the United States' Government desire should be made by foreign Powers having leases of territory or " spheres of interest" in China.

I note with satisfaction that Your Excellency recognises the validity of the reasons which would preclude Her Majesty's Government from including in any such Declaration on their part the Hong Kong Extension, which has practically been incorporated with, and will be governed as a part of, the Colony of Hong Kong.

You observe that the holdings of other Great Powers in China consist largely of territory leased for a term of years, and are not subject to the same objection which applies to the Hong Kong Extension, but fall rather in the same category as Wei-hai Wei, and that the omission from the British Declaration of all reference to leased territory would naturally induce other Powers to insist upon the same limitation without the same reason which applies to the Hong Kong Extension.

Your Excellency accordingly proposes that the Declaration to be made by Her Majesty's Government should be so framed as to apply expressly to the leased territory of Wei-hai Wei, and to all territory in China which may hereafter be acquired by Great Britain by lease or otherwise, and to all spheres of interest now held, or which may bereafter be held, by her in China.

I have the honour to state that Your Excellency's suggestion is acceptable to Her Majesty's Government,

• No. 10.

I have, &c.,

SALISBURY.

639.

SIE,

No. 12.

WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received January 5, 1900).

[Answered by No. 13.]

War Office, London, S. W., January 4, 1900. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to forward, for the consideration

of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a report from the Commissioner at Wei-hai Wei on expenditure in connection with administration at that station.

Lord Lansdowne considers that the Civil and Military expenditure should be kept distinct, and that Army Votes should not be charged with the cost of municipal government.

I am to enquire whether Mr. Chamberlain is prepared to consider the question of the establishmennt of a, civil administration at Wei-hai Wei for the performance of the duties referred to in Colonel Dorward's report.

I am,

&c., G. FLEETWOOD WILSON.

Enclosure in No. 12.

War Office.

From the COMMISSIONER, Wei-hai Wei, to the UNDER SECRETARY of State for War,

SIR,

Wei-hai Wei-Report as to expenditure in connection with Administration.

Wei-hai Wei, October 18, 1899. I HAVE the honour to state that it is, in my opinion, advisable, in order to save confusion in accounts hereafter, that civil and military Expenditure here be kept as far as possible distinct from the 1st instant, the date of my taking over charge.

2. At present a suspense account exists, in which doubtful items of expenditure or expenditure which there is no grant to meet, are entered.

3. I forward copy of a letter from my predecessor explaining things as they existed

at the end of his administration. I have answered the two questions in the last paragraph of his letter in the affimative.

i. From that letter it will be seen that the only authorized purely Civil Expenditure

is for the following Establishment :-

One British interpreter at £200 per annum.

One Chinese

Ditto

11

*"*

260 month.

One Chinese writer

21

One messenger

"}

Six boatmen

$30 $7 $13 15

"$

21

17

99

*

ii. The six boatmen are not at present employed, as I have no boat.

iii. All the other items of expenditure mentioned in the letter should; I think, fall against the Naval and Military Votes.

4. The best method of providing for what may be called, the Municipal Government

of the island, and War Office and Admiralty property on the mainland, would be to form

it into a Cantonment on the Indian lines, under a Cantonment Magistrate,

i. There is very ample work to justify such an appointment. The officer appointed as Cantonment Magistrate would have charge of the Police, with power to deal "magis- terially with cases of breaches of the Cantonment regulations.

ii. He would collect and account for all boat and other licenses, wharfage dues, fines, &c., would arrange for the establishment of native villages on the Island, for their drainage, cleanliness, water supply, &c., would be in charge of the existing town, arrange for lighting and cleanliness of the same, improving the streets, removing insanitary houses

• d-28th September.

J

6855

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

yimimmim TELFIC.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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