86
Instructions will, however, be sent to Her Majesty's Minister at Peking to approach the Tsungli-Yamen on the subject as soon as an opportunity offers and to endeavour to arrive at an understanding for the withdrawal of the Chinese officials.
3. As regards the question of the rectification of the frontier where the line as at present drawn would pass through three villages, Her Majesty's Minister at Peking will be requested to arrange the matter if possible with the Chinese Govern- ment on the lines suggested by Sir F. Swettenham in paragraph 39 of his report. “
4. Lord Salisbury entirely concurs with Mr. Chamberlain in the view that the suggestion that the Chinese Government should be asked to include within the leased territory the whole of the promontory east of 121° 40′ E. is one that cannot be entertained.
5. Finally I am to state that Sir C. MacDonald will be asked to arrange if possible, though the China Consular Service is now short-handed, that Mr. Barton should remain for the present at Wei-hai-Wei.
I am, &c.,
FRANCIS BERTIE.
87
such adaptations as may be necessary to meet local requirements. Local considera- tions will determine whether there should be a special subsidiary coinage in silver and copper for Wei-hai-Wei similar to that of Hong Kong, or whether the Hong Kong subsidiary coins should be employed. But it will presumably not be necessary to wait for settled government in the dependency before taking the steps necessary to enable the British dollar to circulate on an equality with the Mexican dollar. Apparently a proclamation by the Commissioner will be sufficient authority for this purpose under present conditions, and he might be empowered to make the proclamation as soon as it is ascertained that he has no objection to the course proposed.
As regards the source of supply of special coins for Wei-hai-Wei it will be remem- bered that hitherto pressure of work has prevented the Indian Mints from undertaking coinage for Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements. So long as the present con- ditions prevail in India, it will have to be determined, on each occasion on which a demand may arise for coins for those Colonies or for Wei-hai-Wei, whether it can be most conveniently and economically supplied from India, from the Royal Mint, or from Birmingham.
36039
No. 66.
I am, &c.,
FRANCIS MOWATT.
SIR,
ADMIRALTY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received November 6, 1900.) [Answered by No. 68.]
Admiralty, November 5, 1900. My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having had before them letter
your of 9th ultimo, No. 24400,† enclosing a copy of a report upon Wei-hai-wei by Sir F. Swettenham, desire me to request you will represent to Mr. Secretary Chamberlain that the question of the administration of Wei-hai-wei was some time back exhaus- tively considered by Her Majesty's Government, when it was definitely decided that the War Office should be responsible for this, and accordingly General (then Colonel) Dorward was appointed Commissioner and Administrator, and sent out to relieve Commander Gaunt, then acting in that capacity.
As regards the island of Liu-kung-tau, the administration of which Mr. Cham- berlain considers should not be separated from that of the mainland, I am to state that the Naval interests there are sufficiently represented by the Naval officer who is now in charge of the Naval establishments on the island and of the man-of-war anchorage, for which he is directly responsible to the Naval Commander-in-Chief.
The proper discharge of these duties will amply occupy the time and energies of the Naval officer in charge, and My Lords do not therefore consider it desirable that this officer should be called upon to combine civil functions with his Naval duties.
36039.
SIR,
No. 68.
COLONIAL OFFICE to ADMIRALTY.
Downing Street, November 14, 1900. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant, regarding the administration of Wei-Hai-Wei. 2. The Secretary of State understands the first paragraph of your letter under acknowledgment to have reference to the military administration only, since as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are aware, it has been decided that the civil adminis- tration shall be taken over by this Department.
3. It is presumed that as Their Lordships offer no observations on the other points raised in the letter from this Department of the 9th ultimo,t except that dealt with in the last two paragraphs of your letter, they are prepared to fall in with any arrangements that may be decided upon by the Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretary of State for War and the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS:
I am, &c.,
EVAN MACGREGOR.
36401.
No. 69.
36401.
SIR,
No. 67.
TREASURY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received November 9, 1900.)
[Answered by No. 69.]
Treasury Chambers, November 8, 1900. I HAVE laid before the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury Mr. Antrobus's letter of the 18th ultimo, and its enclosure relating to the proposal to make the British dollar legal tender at Wei-hai-Wei.
Mr. Lords concur with the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the opinion that the Mexican dollar should be made legal tender in the dependency concurrently with the British dollar. Ultimately it will no doubt be desirable to regulate the currency on the lines of the Hong Kong Currency Order in Council of the 2nd February, 1895, with
+ No. 64.
• No. 52.
† No. 63.
SIR,
COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.
Downing Street, November 16, 1900. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, respecting the legalization of the British dollar at Wei-hai-Wei.
2. I am to request you to inform the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury that the Secretary of State for War will be asked to cause a copy of your letter under acknowledgment to be forwarded to the Commissioner at Wei-hai-Wei, and to suggest that if he sees no objection and is satisfied that the British dollar would be accepted with sufficient freedom, he should issue a proclamation making it legal tender, together with the Mexican dollar.
&c.,
I am,
• No. 66.
† No. 63.
No. 67.
C. P. LUCAS.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
ILICO. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
88
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.