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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TELEC.O. 882

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

H

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result of very careful enquiries puts the land tax* at £1,500 in ordinary years. There will be partial failures occasionally, but according to Chinese authorities, one year's total failure must be allowed for in every five, and then there will be no revenue from the land, and the people will barely escape from actual starvation.

Other sources

of revenue, boat taxes, fines, stamps, mining licences, &c., might amount altogether to £500, but that is, if anything, rather an outside estimate. It would not, therefore, be prudent to expect revenue from the mainland of more than £2,000 a year at first, and the prospects of an early increase are not encouraging.

10. On the other hand, the climate is undoubtedly so good that, compared with other places in China occupied by Europeans, I believe that, if Weihaiwei remains under the British flag and house accommodation is provided, it will become a popular health resort, especially in the summer months. The place is decidedly windy, but that applies more to the roadstead and the island than to the mainland. In winter, I am told, it is cold and bracing, cold enough for skating, but dry and invigorating without excessive cold. In summer the heat is never great and, in the absence of wind and rain, the climate is almost perfect. The rainfall is very small and is prac- tically confined to the months June, July, September, and October. Attached is the most complete return of temperature and rainfall I could obtain.

11. There is no accommodation available for strangers at Liu Kung Tau, and what there is on the mainland (twelve bungalows and a partly finished hotel, all built by a Shanghai Company) has been taken up. With the present feeling of unrest in China there is no doubt that many Europeans would send their families to Weihaiwei if house room were to be got, and in time I think it is extremely likely that a school for European children would be widely patronised. The steamer ser- vice between Shanghai or Chifu and Weihaiwei is índifferent and fitful, and this must be improved if the place is to be largely frequented by Europeans.

12. Lastly, in favour of the territory, it may be said that labour is plentiful, cheap, and easily managed; that the Chinese population is peaceful and law-abiding and that the harbour is perhaps the best on the coast between Hong Kong and Talienwan.

13. I said the case of Liu Kung Tau should be considered separately from that of the mainland territory. The island has been purchased absolutely by the Admi- ralty and the War Office for what seems to me a very large sum. It has a number of very good buildings, all of which are occupied or used by the naval and military authorities, and, if Weihaiwei is required as a naval station for the British fleet it is unlikely that the island will be thrown open to the public for residences or other purposes. The best anchorage is close to the island, and there is constant communi- cation between the vessels of war and the naval rifle range, parade, and recreation ground, hospital, stores, &c. There are as yet no guns or English-built forts on the island, but gun emplacements are under construction, and, for the present at all events, Liu Kung Tân must be regarded as a cantonment outside the civil authority. Perhaps the strongest argument in favour of this course is the fact that the island is fifteen minutes by steam launch from the mainland, and in rough weather com- munication between the two is difficult.

14. I strongly recommend that Liu Kung Tau be treated as an Indian canton- ment, under a cantonment magistrate, who will be responsible for the entire ad- ministration, and, under the circumstances, I think the Navy should supply this officer. At present there appears to be a dual control in Liu Kung Tau, partly military and partly naval, but I take it. Weihaiwei is essentially a naval station, and naval interests appear to me to preponderate on the island, therefore, I think that friction will best be avoided and the public interests best served by placing the island in charge of a commander, under the Admiral or senior naval officer of the fleet present for the time being. If I may be allowed to make the suggestion, I believe that Commander Gaunt, who has discharged the duties I describe (and I think still does so) for some time, would fill the post very efficiently.

15. I was anxious to be able to say what had been actually spent on Weihaiwei up to this date, and what is the present annual cost of the station to Her Majesty's

NOTE. This tax was fixed 500 years ago in the reign of the Emperor Kang-Heu and has never varied. The land is divided into thres elmes according to fertility. The best pays three candareens, the second two, and the worst one candareen per man, per annum. In practice the tax collectors msness all lands at two candareens per mau, but ten man of the best land would be counted as fifteen, while ten man of the worst would be reckoneil ; five. Six mau make one acre, and 12 candareens are equal to 17 dollar cents or just over four ponce,

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Government, but with every desire to assist me, the officers now on the spot could only give me figures, which I have grouped together with the following result:--

Military Expenditure from Occupation in July, 1898, to May 1, 1900:-—

Purchase of land and buildings (both island and mainland).. £23,517 Construction of buildings, barracks, &c., Cost of survey

20,150

Total

1,950

£45,617

Naval expenditure from occupation to September 30, 1899:-

Expenses of administration Liu Kung Tau Salary Commander in charge

£1,571

601

Repairs to buildings

2,258

Salaries Chief Engineers and the Naval Staff attached to depot

and in works and department

10,226

Dredger

1,876

£16,532

Total naval and military expenditure to September 30, 1899,

and April 30, 1900

***

£82,149

If these figures are correct as far as they go, they are so incomplete that they only help one to guess that, to the present time, the station has probably cost at least £150,000, and the present recurrent charges may be estimated at £10,000 a year. I draw these conclusions from the fact that the figures given to me do not include the salary of the civil officer (Mr. Barton), the cost of the Chinese Regiment (said to be £38,000 a year at its full strength, and now perhaps £30,000), any allowance to any military officer for discharging civil duties, or the salary of any military officer ever stationed on either mainland or island. Moreover, the naval expenditure is only made up to September 30th last.

16. So far as I have been able to ascertain the purely civil charges of adminis- tration amount at this moment to about £1,000 a year, divided as follows:-

Mr. Barton

£350 48

Rent of quarters for Mr. Barton

Interpreter (Mr. Dupré)

Chinese Interpreter to Commissioner Messenger to Commissioner

Chinese writer (to Mr. Barton)

Three messengers (to Mr. Barton)

Inspector Police

200

72

8 48

25

£751

LIU KUNG TAU.

£214x

156x 50

60x

60

70

60

£670

Total

£1,421

and the way in which £1,000 is arrived at is by deducting the items marked x, which amount to £430. It is contended, and with some appearance of justice, that the

***

1 Sergeant and 12 Constables (about) Boat's crew (Commissioner) Clothing and fuel, Police (about) Post Office expenses ..

Lighting

Gardeners, sweepers, &c..