CO882-6 — Page 188

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

THEPLIC.O. 882

سلنسائيا

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON

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

Letter

from

C'olonel Dorward. 7th Jan.. 1900, 0x3: 1270,

Report by Bir F. Swetien-

24

Swettenham's report on the future administration of Wei-hai-wei. It will also doubt- less be within Lord Lansdowne's recollection that in a despatch dated 7th November, 1900, a copy of which was enclosed in your letter of the 21st of that month,* Sir E. Satow was requested to approach the Tsung-li-Yamen on the subject of the abolition of Chinese jurisdiction within the walled city of Wei-hai-wei, "as soon as an oppor- tunity offers after the conclusion of the present peace negotiations," and to endeavour to arrive at an understanding with them for the withdrawal of the Chinese officials.

3. Mr. Chamberlain trusts that this proposal will not be lost sight of when an opportunity presents itself for pressing it.

I am, &c.,

27938

SIR,

No. 37.

WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received August 12, 1901.)

C. P. LUCAS!

War Office, London, S. W., August 10, 1901. WITH reference to War Office letter of 6th December,† relative to the future administration of Wei-Hai-Wei, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to send you, for Mr. Secretary Chamberlain's information, a copy of a letter which was sent on 16th March to that Station respecting the use of the Chinese Regiment for Police duties, together with a copy of the reply which has been received thereto.

(083/12/70.)

SIR,

I am, &c.,

G. FLEETWOOD WILSON.

Enclosure 1 in No. 37.

War Office, March 16, 1901. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for War to send you the enclosed extracts which relate to the proposed use of the Chinese Regiment for Police duties at Wei- Hai-Wei, and to request that you will be so good as to call upon the Officer Com- manding the Regiment to state his opinion on the capability of the men for this duty, and the advisability or otherwise of so employing them.

In forwarding this statement the Commander-in-Chief would be glad to be favoured with any further observations on these points which you may wish to offer.

1 am, &c.,

The General Officer,

Commanding the Troops,

Wei-Hai-Wei.

WEI-HAI-WEI.

Police Force for Mainland.

EVELYN WOOD,

Adjutant-General.

It is not proposed to establish any civil police force on the mainland as it is con- sidered that order in the territory can be more efficiently maintained through the Chinese Regiment.

The Mainland.

To begin with I suggest that the preservation of order be entrusted to the Chinese ham. l'ara Regiment, and I shall make no provision for this service beyond the grant of an

allowance to the Officer in Command. About 200 men will be sufficient for all purposes.

„graph 20, 083 12 70,

No. 71 in Eastern No. 72.

↑ No. 76 in Eastern No. 72.

police

25

Office. 9th

Among various points of detail with which it may be necessary to trouble the Letter Marquess of Lansdowne the most important seems to me the question of policing the from new territory. It will be seen that Sir F. Swettenham considers that police work Colonial on the mainland should be entrusted to the Chinese Regiment, about 200 of whom Oct., 1900, would be, he estimates, thus employed. On the island he considers that the very small 083 12/70. staff at present discharging police duties might be still further reduced.

It is needless to say that if Lord Lansdowne considers that the Chinese Regiment undertake such police duties in the leased territory as cannot be entrusted to the village councils and headmen, Mr. Chamberlain will gladly accept so economical a

may

scheme.

It may be noted that Colonel Dorward in his despatch of the 7th of January last contemplated that the mainland territory will be policed by the Chinese Regiment.

Island of Lui-Kung.

Any existing arrangements for Military Police on the island of Lui-Kung to be War Office continued until such time as a Civil Police is formed

Enclosure 2 in No. 37.

The OFFICER COMMANDING 18T CHINESE REGIMENT to STAFF OFFICER to GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING and MILITARY COMMISSIONER, Wei-Hai-Wei.

SIR,

(083/12/99.)

Mahto, May 30, 1901.

WITH reference to War Office letter, No. 083/12/70, of 18th March, I have the honour to make the following remarks:-

2. I am of opinion that it would be best to continue the present system under which men and officers of the Chinese Regiment undertake police duties from time to time as required by the Civil power, an allowance being made to them from Civil Funds to cover travelling and camping expenses.

3.

While of opinion that the men of the Chinese Regiment are capable of ful- filling all the necessary police duties in the manner arranged by the General Officer Commanding and Military Commissioner, I am entirely against the setting aside of any special force, such as that suggested in a report by Sir F. Swettenham, paragraph 20, 083/12/70, quoted in correspondence attached to War Office letter of 18th March,

1901.

4. Any alteration in the existing military status of the men of the Chinese Regi- ment would be a decided step backwards. To set apart such a body as is suggested, as police, would be to subject these men to the very worst influences, as is shown in the hopeless corruption of the Chinese Magistates local police and Yamen runners. It would also strike at the root of the main idea which has above everything been steadily kept in view by the officers engaged in the training of the Chinese Regiment, viz., to try and instil into the men some notion, however slight, of ordinary honesty and up- right behaviour in their dealings with those whom their position may give them the opportunity to rob, for that is the simple meaning of the word "squeeze."

5. Should any such force as suggested be set aside solely as police, I am not aware that there is any officer now in the Regiment who would exchange his present duties for those of a police officer.

6. The existing arrangements are as follows:-When the Civil Administration requires armed force of any kind, from one or two, or half a dozen men to accompany the Assistant Commissioner to some village, up to a Company or more to quell a dis- turbance, or to keep order temporarily in a mining district, the Officer Commanding Chinese Regiment is applied to for a military escort of the requisite size. This being furnished accompanies the Civil Administrator under Military Command, and upon the completion of the necessary work the force returns to Barracks.

1

7. I would suggest that as the above plan has been found to work well so far it should be continued, payment being made to the officers, non-commissioned officers and men so employed from the Civil Funds at a rate of so much per day during the time they are away in the district. I further suggest the following rates to include any other pay or allowances the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men so employed may be entitled to:

9641

D

Letter to Colonel Dorward, 26th April, 1900, 083 12:18.