CO129-218 - Administrator Marsh Governor Sir Bowen & Others - 1884 [11-12] — Page 104

leading journal of this Colony, citing

refuting

in a

a

and

telegram recently published

London

That

newspaper. telegram

d on

injuriously reflected the conduct of

Mr

•W1⁄2 Marh, and of the Hong Kong Police

at the time of the tourporary

disturbance at the

ence at the beginning of last

month.

I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's Most Obedient,

Humble Servant,

SM Bowen

Enclosure.

The Daily Press.

HONGKONG, NOVEMBER 22ND, 1884.

WHO "is the Standard's correspondent in Hongkong? Tast journal is one of the best, most reliable, and most enterprising papers in the world, and deservedly enjoys a pro- digious circulation. It is therefore the more to be regretted that it should be made I the medium of false and slanderous state- ments like the following, telegraphed to it, on the 15th October last from this Colony, concerning the late riots:-

A riot has takon place, arising in the first place from some children throwing stones. The police in- terfered, and fired into the mob, killing a number of Chinese. The Government here are bahaving in s most arbitrary manuer, there

thereby greatly

natives,

the anti-English fealing excited among the sing

by their compelling the dock-labourers to work at the French ships. Some oppressive laws have been passed, among others one forbidding any trade in arms be tween the Chinese and Europeans. Largo numberN of the Chiose inhabitants have been deported by the nuthorities without any form of trial. General opinion strongly condemus the course which Government are taking.

fue entire telegram is a tissue of artfully designed misstatements which the sender must have been well aware were false, and it is so put together as to make it appear hat the Government and the Police were wholly responsible for and stimulated the iot. The riot did not arise from some children throwing stones; it is a matter of notoriety that it arose from the coolies-first nelting the cargoboat people and subse quently stopping the chairs and jinrickshas. Pho Police exercised a wonderful degree of forbearance and self-restraint, and though it is true that they did fire at length in self- lefence they did so for the most part over the heads of the mob and only one China- man was killed. This also was well known at the date the telegram was despatched, the riots having occurred on the 3rd, and the mendacions telegram having been des- patched twelve days later. The Govern ment, so far from behaving in an arbitrary manner, showed a lenity and a patience that proved judicious in the end but were rather | condemned at the time by the foreign com- munity, who thought that more decisive and sweeping steps might have been taken. It is false to say the Government compelled the dock labourers to work for the French; no compulsion was attempted towards them by any one. It is equally false to say that any oppressive laws were passed. The Peace! Preservation Ordinance gave large powers to the Authorities, but they were most sparingly used by the Police. There were no large deportations of the Chinese, only a few persons being banished. The power! of deportation, moreover, was not conferred by the Peace Preservation Ordinance, but by the Banishment and Conditional Pardons

F

Ordinances

Ordinance, 1883, passed during the Gov. ernment of Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY. Most of the rioters arrested were treated with the greatest consideration, many of them being released after a few days' imprisonment. It is not our intention to here undertake a defence of the Govern- ment and the Police against their anonymous libeller, for his statements are so palpably untrue that no categorical denial of them in this Colony is necessary. They speak for themselves. Upon a thin substratum of fact, the telegraphist built up a tottering fabric of lies. We do profoundly regret, however, there is any one in our midst capable of so dastardly an attempt to blacken the reputa- tion of Mr. MARSH and the Police and of so deliberately outraging the truth in order to concoct the charge,

C.O.

22 199

[REC?

REGE 31 DEC 84

101