You should now ascertain and inform me what were the actual occurrences, and whether the aggressors were inhabitants of the new territory or the remainder of Chung Shui Yang's adherents.
At the present time the militia is being organized, and every village has its gentry and elders. You should therefore proceed in person to the various villages, and, after convening the gentry and elders, you should carefully explain to them that this Kowloon Extension has been carried out in accordance with Imperial Edict, and that England has promised that on no account shall the natives be subjected to any harsh treatment. As everything is quiet outside the extension, how can people venture to disobey the Edict by creating disturbances, thus showing disregard for their lives and persons? If they are people from other districts who have come with weapons in their hands to swell the trouble, such a proceeding is still more unreasonable. You should without delay issue a Proclamation, so as to make the people abandon their evil courses and again become law-abiding subjects. As regards the details of present occurrences, you must at once send a special messenger to ascertain and report them. Do not delay for an instant, or you will be to blame. For every day you are in office you have a day's responsibility of which you cannot divest yourself. Tremble at these urgent and special instructions.
April 18, 1899.
Viceroy's Instructions to the Hsin-an Hsien.
but On the 19th instant I sent instructions to you by special messenger, you Your Report of the have not yet reported the details of the late occurrences. 19th instant, which only came to hand yesterday, is wanting in clearness.
It has been agreed that there shall not be the slightest hardship imposed upon the inhabitants of the area leased to the English, and voluminous Proclamations have been issued to that effect. Should any such hardships be imposed, there would be no harm in the sufferers coming to me with their cases, and awaiting their discussion with the British Government. But the natives at Ta-pu Hsü, in a moment of indignation, have suddenly commenced a strife, which, by making them homeless, has occasioned misery to the aged, the young, and the women, whose pitiable condition baffles description. The young and robust farm hands are wasting their time and ruining their prospects at the very moment when agriculture most claims their attention, and, after all, what is the use of subjecting their own flesh and blood to the murderous fire of rifles and cannon? My repeated instructions have been ignored, and I cannot understand how the popular infatuation can have reached such a pitch. There must be some moving spirit at the bottom of this, and how is it that you, the Magistrate, being in close relations with the people, do not seem to realize that there are honest gentry and elders to whom all the villagers look up, and whom you should invite to carefully devise measures for bringing the people to a proper sense of their duties, so that their lives may be preserved intact? By following such a course not only will you be doing your duty as an official, but you will also be laying up for yourself a store of happiness without measure.
As in duty bound, I have again to order you to act in conformity with my repeated instructions, and, without fail, to send in a further Report.
[Instructions in a similar strain were sent on the same date to the Tung Kuan and Kuei Shan Hsiens.] April 26, 1899.
Report of the Hsin-an Hsien.
The Hsin-an Hsien respectfully makes the following representation:-- On the 18th April an action took place between foreign troops and natives at Shih Tou Wei village, during which some twenty or thirty natives and several foreign soldiers were killed or wounded. The two wooden barriers of the village of Chin Tien were destroyed, and a licentiate, named Teng Chü-lin, was taken to Hong Kong, but was released shortly afterwards. On the 19th the people tendered their submission. On the 20th the British officials issued a Proclamation to tranquillize the people, and obliged the villagers of Yuan Lang, as well as the employés in the various shops, to work at the construction of forts. On the 21st April they took the licentiate Wu Ch'i-ch'ang, who was also released soon afterwards. Four dwelling-houses were burnt here, and several at Ping Shan. On the 22nd April the natives of the leased area began by degrees to return to their villages, and people are already a little more at ease in their minds. This may be sufficient to allay your Excellency's anxiety. The Deputy Magistrate, Chang Yun-wu, arrived yesterday, and has gone in the direction of Ta-pa Hsu to institute minute and searching inquiries. I have reported these occurrences to his Excellency the Governor, and I now respectfully draw up this Report for your Excellency's information.
April 28, 1899.
Kowloon-Canton Railway.
The Viceroy attempted to stave off the survey of that part of the Kowloon-Canton line between Canton city and the British boundary, on the plea of unrest in the neighbourhood of Shamshun, but it was well known that this was a mere excuse to delay the undertaking to which he is opposed. It was accordingly made clear to him that he would be held responsible for the expense occasioned by the delay, and this induced a change of attitude. A Deputy, named Yin Pei-lin, was appointed, and this gentleman met the engineer, Mr. Large, at the Consulate on the 1st May to arrange as to route, escort, &c. The surveying party left Canton on the 4th May, accompanied by the Deputy and escort.
Relations with Chinese Officials.
The Viceroy has displayed much obstinacy in all the negotiations connected with the taking over of the new territory. At the interview with the Governor of Hong Kong on the 2nd April he absolutely declined to take any steps towards the removal of the Customs stations, insisting that such a removal was not within the scope of the original Convention agreed upon by the British Minister and the Tsung-li Yamên. He promised to protect the temporary mat-sheds which had been erected for the accommodation of the police, but altogether failed to do so.
(Signed) G. D. PITZIPIOS, Vice-Consul.
Canton, July 5, 1899.
563
10
You should now ascertain and inform me what were the actual occurrences, and whether the aggressors were inhabitants of the new territory or the remainder of Chung Shui Yang's adherents.
At the present time the militia is being organized, and every village has its gentry and elders. You should therefore proceed in person to the various villages, and, after convening the gentry and elders, you should carefully explain to them that this Kowloon Extension has been carried out in accordance with Imperial Edict, and that England has promised that on no account shall the natives be subjected to any harsh treatment. As everything is quiet outside the extension, how can people venture to disobey the Edict by creating disturbances, thus showing disregard for their lives and persons? If they are people from other districts who have come with weapons in their hands to swell the trouble, such a proceeding is still more unreasonable. You should without delay issue a Proclamation, so as to make the people abandon their evil courses and again become law-abiding subjects. As regards the details of present occurrences, you must at once send a special messenger to ascertain and report them. Do not delay for an instant, or you will be to blame. For every day you are in office you have a day's responsibility of which you cannot divest yourself. Tremble at these urgent and special instruc- tions.
April 18, 1899.
Viceroy's Instructions to the Hsin-an Hsien.
but On the 19th instant I sent instructions to you by special messenger, you Your Report of the have not yet reported the details of the late occurrences. 19th instant, which only came to hand yesterday, is wanting in clearness.
It has been agreed that there shall not be the slightest hardship imposed upon the inhabitants of the area leased to the English, and voluminous Proclamations have been issued to that effect. Should any such hardships be imposed, there would be no harm in the sufferers coming to me with their cases, and awaiting their discussion with the British Government. But the natives at Ta-pu Hsü, in a moment of indignation, have suddenly commenced a strife, which, by making them homeless, has occasioned misery to the aged, the young, and the women, whose pitiable condition baffles description. The young and robust farm hands are wasting their time and ruining their prospects at the very moment when agriculture most claims their attention, and, after all, what is the use of subjecting their own flesh and blood to the murderous fire of rifles and cannon? My repeated instruc- tions have been ignored, and I cannot understand how the popular infatuation can have reached such a pitch. There must be some moving spirit at the bottom of this, and how is it that you, the Magistrate, being in close relations with the people, do not seem to realize that there are bonest gentry and elders to whom all the villagers look up, and whom you should invite to carefully devise measures for bringing the people to a proper sense of their duties, so that their lives may be preserved intact ? By following such a course not only will you be doing your duty as an official, but you will also be laying up for yourself a store of happiness
without measure.
As in duty bound, I have again to order you to act in conformity with my repeated instructions, and, without fail, to send in a further Report.
[Instructions in a similar strain were sent on the same date to the Tung Kuan and Kuei Shan Hsiens.] April 26, 1899.
Report of the Hsin-an Hsien.
The Hsin-an Hsien respectfully makes the following representation :-- On the 18th April an action took place between foreign troops and natives at Shih Tou Wei village, during which some twenty or thirty natives and several foreign soldiers were killed or wounded. The two wooden barriers of the village of Chin Tien were destroyed, and a licentiate, named Teng Chuch-lin, was taken to Hong Kong, but was released shortly afterwards. On the 19th the people tendered their submission. On the 20th the British officials issued a Proclamation to tranquillize the people, and obliged the villagers of Yuan Lang, as well as the
11
employés in the various shops, to work at the construction of forts. On the 21st April they took the licentiate Wu Ch'i-ch'ang, who was also released soon afterwards. Four dwelling-houses were burnt here, and several at Ping Shan. On the 22nd April the natives of the leased area began by degrees to return to their villages, and people are already a little more at ease in their minds. This may be sufficient to allay your Excellency's anxiety. The Deputy Magistrate, Chang Yun-wu, arrived yesterday, and has gone in the direction of Ta-pa Hsu to institute minute and searching inquiries. I have reported these occurrences to his Excellency the Governor, and I now respectfully draw up this Report for your Excellency's information..
April 28, 1899.
Kowloon-Canton Railway.
The Viceroy attempted to stave off the survey of that part of the Kowloon- Canton line between Canton city and the British boundary, on the plea of unrest in the neighbourhood of Shamshun, but it was well known that this was a mers excuse to delay the undertaking to which he is opposed. It was accordingly made clear to him that he would be held responsible for the expense occasioned by the delay, and this induced a change of attitude. A Deputy, named Yin Pei-lin, was appointed, and this gentleman met the engineer, Mr. Large, at the Consulate on the 1st May to arrange as to route, escort, &c. The surveying party left Canton on the 4th May, accompanied by the Deputy and escort.
Relations with Chinese Officials.
The Viceroy has displayed much obstinacy in all the negotiations connected with the taking over of the new territory. At the interview with the Governor of Hong Kong on the 2nd April he absolutely declined to take any steps towards the removal of the Customs stations, insisting that such a removal was not within the scope of the original Convention agreed upon by the British Minister and the Tsung-li Yamên. He promised to protect the temporary mat-sheds which had been erected for the accommodation of the police, but altogether failed to do so.
(Signed) G. D. PITZIPIOS, Vice-Consul.
Canton, July 5, 1899.
563
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