CO129-294 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [10-12] — Page 586

No. 362.

C. O.

1034

میرا کی

17 JAN

Government House,

HongKong,

16th December,

1899.

583

sir,

Enclosure 1.

Deer 1899.

I have the honour to enclose a letter from

Her Majesty's Consul at Canton, important as bearing upon the

unsatisfactory state of the West and North Rivers. I am en-

deavouring to prevent the illicit importation of arms into

China, and an Ordinance is being introduced with the object of

giving to the Government a closer supervision over the arms

trade.

2. But I feel that no efforts on the part of

this Government to prevent smuggling of arms into the disturbed

districts can be of practical use so long as arms can be readily

procured from Macao. I have not felt justified in refusing

permits on the application of the Governor of Macao for the

exportation of arms to that Colony, but it is evident that the

very large quantity of arms and ammunition imported by Macao

cannot be required for use in that small colony. The quantity

imported there during the past twelve months is shown by the

The Right Honourable

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.

1.P.,

800.

EcG.

enclosed