CO129-290 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [1-4] — Page 833

6071.

X.26.

な

Sir,

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Hong Kong, 19th April, 1899.

814

I am directed to acknowledge the receipt

of your letter of the 15th instant enclosing translation of

a despatch from the Viceroy regarding the removal of the Chinese Customs from the leased territory and I am to request

you to convey to His Excellency an expression of the Governor's great regret that he should have interpreted His Excellency's observation before leaving the Yamen (of which the Viceroy's recollection is quite accurate) as an intimation that the Governor had changed the views so strongly expressed by him on the subject. The question of the removal of the Customs was not one that could be decided between the Viceroy and the Governor. It was clear that the views of their respective Excellencies as to the effect of the Convention were diametrically opposed and the Viceroy had intimated his interpretation as decidedly on his part as the Governor had on his. It was therefore not necessary again to refer to the subject which could only be settled as it has been settled by the Imperial Governments at London and Peking.

The Viceroy will doubtless understand that His Excellency the Governor's action in the matter is purely ministerial as it is His Excellency's duty to carry out