CO129-290 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [1-4] — Page 670

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said that he was attacked by a mob and would hold the matshed

until morning but urgently required relief, I requested Major-

General Gascoigne to send a force to relieve him, and at 3.30

a.m. Major-General Gascoigne proceeded himself in Her Majesty

Ship Whiting accompanied by Mr. Stewart Lockhart, and taking

with him 100 men of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Of the two mat-

sheds partially erected they found one burnt, but the princi-

pal one was untouched. The people informed them that Mr. May

and his party had left for HongKong, so they returned. In the

forenoon Mr. May returned and reported that he and his party

had been assailed with stones and other missiles, and seeing

after 9 o'clock that signals were being shown and drums beaten-

indicating a general concentration of villagers he retreated

over the hill, and remained concealed until morning, seeing

as he thought both matsheds on fire. He heard a general advan-

ce upon the hill upon which he had first taken up his posi-

tion. He reported that the Chinese soldiers sent in with him

had behaved very well.

9. I immediately telegraphed to Her Ma-

jesty's Consul at Canton as follows -

*Thank Viceroy for prompt orders to Kowloon. Infor

His Excellency that British official and men with five Chi-

nese soldiers were attacked this evening at Taipohu..Sending

a force to relieve

them and remove them leaving protection

of property to Chinese Government. Request Viceroy to order

sufficient force to be sent without delay to preserve order

and

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