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based on those of your Excellency's predecessor and other persons of experience have reference chiefly to the proposal for raising a large body of Chinese Infantry, armed with rifles, but are somewhat different as regards the case now in question.
If I assume so small a body, working in connection with an almost equal number of Europeans could not become a source of the remotest danger to the internal peace of the Colony, and that the only points now to be considered are whether any complication could arise with the Chinese Government by our enlisting these Chinamen or whether, enlisted, they would be likely to desert us in the event of a war in which that Government were either openly hostile or secretly unfriendly. On the subject of enlistment I attach extracts from letters received in 1886 from Sir J. Walsham and Sir R. Hart, the latter not apparently anticipating complications as long as the enlistment is of an entirely local character, and as regards desertion it is very doubtful whether the Mandarins are able to exercise much influence over the poor and floating Hakka population, among whom it would be difficult to trace the relations of the men and which, moreover, is not particularly attached to the Chinese Government.
Should all this be the case, there would seem to be less cause to fear desertion than was at one time apprehended if the men are well paid, considerately treated, and have something to look forward to at the end of their service in the shape of deferred pay or pension.
Situated as we are this Colony would, in the event of
513
me+
based on those of your Excellency's predecessor alu
other persons of experience
از
haa reference chiefly to the
proposal for raising a large bouy of Chinese Infantry, arme
with rifles, but are somewhat different as regards the case
now in question.
if
I assume so small a body, working in connection
with an almost equal number of Europeans could not become a
source of the remotest danger to the internal peace of the
Colony, and that the only points now to be considered are
whether any complication could arise with the Chinese
Government by our enlisting these chinamen or whether,
enlisted, they would be likely to desert us in the event of
a war in which that Government were either openly hostile
or secretly unfriendly. On the subject of enlistment I
attach extracts from letters received in 1886 from Sir J.
Walsham and Sir R. Hart, the latter not apparently antici-
pating complications as long as the enlistment is of an en-
tirely local character, and as regarus desertion it is very
doubtful whether the Mandarins are able to exercise much
influence over the poor and floating hakka population,
among whom it would be difficult to trace the relations of
the men and which, moreover, is not particularly attached
to the Chinese Government.
Should all this be the case, there would seem to
be less cause to fear desertion than was at one time appre-
hendea if the men are well paid, considerately treated, and
have something to look forward to at the end of their ser-
vice in the shape of deferred pay or pension.
Situated as we are this Colony woula, in the event
of
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