CO129-290 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [1-4] — Page 742

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Ty in A

724

Hon Col Sec.

Under the circumstance explained by Gen. Gascoigne

I approve of your not coming in. You will remember in

the operations that the new Territory comes within the tems of the Arms Ordinance and no person in that territo-

ry is entitled to have or possess arms. It will there-

fore be your duty to discover any arms and confiscate

them. The troops acting in support of the civil power

will have authority to search and disarm. As to the

movement of the troops in the suppression of active

opposition and armed attacks upon H M's forces you will

be guided entirely by G.0.0. who returns to Tai Pohul

this evening. I am informed by Dep. Wang that there are

some Chinese soldiers stationed in the district, who

have not yet received orders to remove. I shall ask for

information as to the towns and villages to which they

have been ordered. If you find them in those villages

in the number stated you will direct them to proceed

forthwith to Sham Chun except that you will find them

participating in any movement against our authority in

which case they should be made prisoners. In the event

of prisoners being taken with arms in their hands they

should be forwarded to Hong Kong,

I send copies of last 2 letters from the Viceroy

as the troops advance it may be well to pitch on the

best for the police station nea Kam Tin without regard

to the local objection.

(Inta) H.A.B.