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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPERNIC.O. 882

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

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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It is presumed that the Commissioner's position will be analogous to that of the Governor of Gibraltar, who serves under both the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs and for War, but Lord Lansdowne will be glad to be favoured with any observations Mr. Chamberlain wish to offer on the subject.

may

If there are any special points Mr. Chamberlain would wish Colonel Lewis to consider before proceeding to the Colonial Office, I am to ask that a memorandum may be sent here for that officer's information.

7029.

No. 17.

I am, &c.,

R. H. KNOX.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR J. A. SWETTENHAM (STRAITS). (Sent 3.45 p.m. March 14, 1900.) TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 8213 ; not printed.]

It is intended to administer Wei-hai Wei as Colony under military Governor, but before transfer to Colonial Office it is desirable to have report by experienced Colonial officers having knowledge of Chinese. Will Resident General be prepared to go on leave by castern route and visit Wei-hai Wei for this purpose? If so, instructions will follow by mail of March 16. Reply as soon as possible.

7029.

No. 18.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR J. A. SWETTENHAM (STRAIT8).

(Confidential.)

SIR,

[See No. 52.]

Downing Street, March 16, 1900.

WITH reference to recent telegraphic correspondence, have the honour to inform you that Her Majesty's Government have decided that the lensed territory of Wei-hai Wei shall for the future be administered by this Department.

2. It has been thought best that the administration of Wei-hai Wei should not be connected with that of Hong Kong, owing to its special circumstances, the different character of the population, and its distance from the Colony; and that the head of the administration should be a military or naval officer.

3. Before, however, any steps are taken towards the formal assumption of the administration of Wei-hai Wei by this Office it is considered desirable to have the benefit of a visit to the territory, and a report from an officer who is familiar with the general system of Colonial administration, and who has bad experience in dealing with Chinese.

4. I accordingly telegraphed to you on the 14th instant* asking whether Sir Frank Swettenham would be prepared, when proceeding to this country on leave of absence, to travel by the eastern route and to visit Wei-hai Wei. I am glad to learn from your telegram of the 15th instant that he is willing to undertake this task; and I cordially appreciate the readiness with which he has placed his great experience at the service of Her Majesty's Government for the purpose of this mission.

5. I enclose a copy of the Conventiont between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Emperor of China for the lease of Wei-hai Wei. The views of Her Majesty's Government as to the exact political status of the territory and its innabitants need not be referred to in this despatch, which deals purely with administrative questions. It may be stated, however, that as at present advised Her Majesty's Government consider the case to be analogous to that of Cyprus. Part of the leased territory has been in the occupation of the naval and military authorities for some time; but the administration, outside the little island of Leu Kung, which

† 8213; not printed.

• No. 17.

No. 7.

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has become by purchase the property of the War Office and Admiralty, would appear to be still in the hands of Chinese officials. One important question to which Sir Frank Swettenham should direct his attention is the best method of hereafter formally taking over the administration, so as to ensure the minimum of friction with the Chinese authorities, and to obviate the danger of disturbances, such as occurred when the new territory at Hong Kong was taken over by the Colonial Government.

6. Sir Frank Swettenham should also carefully consider and report, as fully as his information may enable him to do so, upon the sources and amount of the revenue hitherto derived by China from the leased territory, and the amount of revenue which may In this hereafter be reasonably expected to be at the disposal of the Government. connexion it would be desirable to know whether there is any land not in the hands of private owners, which might be regarded as government land, and if so the extent of such land and the revenue which it is likely to produce. No revenue can be looked for from custom duties under existing circumstances in view of engagements on the subject which have been entered into with other Powers.

7. The Governor or Administrator of Wei-hai Wei will, as I have already stated, he a military or naval officer; and possibly some of the functions discharged, in an ordinary Colony, by civil officers, could be devolved upon local naval and military officers, with or without extra remuneration. A staff of civil officers will, however, presumably be necessary for the performance of administrative and judicial work; but the revenue will probably be

limited in amount for some time at any rate, and it is desirable that the very civil administration should, if possible, be self-supporting from the first. Accordingly, in reporting as to the number and functions of the necessary civil staff, Sir Frank Swettenham should only recommend in the first instance such appointments as he may consider absolutely necessary to begin the work of administration as soon as the territory is taken over.

8. As regards minor officials and the police system, Sir Frank Swettenham should consider how far the existing machinery of local government, village organisations and beadmen can be utilized, and whether means are available on the spot for creating at any rate the nucleus of an efficient police force.

9. Among other questions with which I should be glad if Sir Frank Swettenham would deal in his report are :-

(1) Whether the definition of the boundary of the leased territory has led to any difficulties of demarcation or administration which will require early adjustment.

(2) Whether any public works are urgently necessary, and whether any steps should be immediately taken towards the improvement of roads within the territory or of the water supply; and

(3) Whether there is any

forest land that calls for preservation.

10. I need not say that I do not desire to confine the scope of Sir Frank Swettenham's report to the matters referred to above. I shall attach great value to his observations on any points which, in his judgment, will require to be dealt with at an early date, and any general questions that may occur to him.

11. I enclose for Sir Frank Swettenham's information a copy of a memorandum which has been drawn up by Colonel J. F. Lewis, R.E., who was for some time on special military duty at Wei-hai Wei.

12. The expenses to which Sir Frank Swettenham will necessarily be put by this visit will, of course, be refunded to him.

13. Communications have been addressed to the War Office and the Admiralty, asking that the local military and naval officers may be instructed to furnish him with all the assistance and information in their power; and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been asked to instruct Her Majesty's Consul at Chifu to assist him in matters of interpretation and local knowledge.

14. A duplicate copy of this despatch is forwarded herewith for Sir Frank Swettenham's personal use.

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.