CO129-301 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [9-12] — Page 57

No. 432.

Zo

Rec2

56

Row 2. UCT 00

Government House,

Hongkong, 25th

September,1900.

sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge

the receipt of your despatch No. 273 of the 10th. August,

enclosing for my consideration a copy of a letter on the

subject of British interests in Canton and Southern

China.

2. With the diagnosis of the gener~

al position in China in the second paragraph I entire-

ly agree, and also with the statements in the third para-

graph with the exception of those affecting Shanghai and

Ningpo, In my opinion, with the large Naval force assen-

bled in June at Shanghai that settlement was not in dan-

ger, and in Ningpo the Missionaries have never been dis-

turbed.

3. The object of the fourth para-

graph of Mr. Franois' letter is to impress upon Her Ma-

jesty's: Government the necessity of keeping permanently

in Hongkong a moveable column in addition to the Garri- son apportioned for the defence of the Colony, and in pressing this view a picture is drawn of the possible in- ternal dangers for which I can find no justification in the present condition of Hongkong and the New Territory. I agree with Mr. Francia that in settling for the in- crease in the permanent strength of the garrison it would be desirable to have a second European battalion if possible, but I realize the difficulties of the pre-

The Right Honourable,

sent

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.

éco. ›

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