CO129-302 - Public Offices - 1900 — Page 419

This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.]

C.O.

5163

X,

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

No. 1.

January 20. RECO

TES 17 FEB 00

SECTION 2.

412

Sir C. MacDonald to the Marquess of Salisbury.—(Reccived January 20, 1900.)

No. 335.) My Lord,

Peking, December 6, 1899. WHEN passing through Hong Kong last month I had an opportunity of discussing with the Governor and with Admiral Seymour the present necessities of the situation created by the continued prevalence of piracy on the West River, as to which representations and warnings have been addressed for over a year without avail, both to the Central and Provincial Chinese authorities.

Another flagrant case has just been reported, namely, the piracy of the British- owned steam-ship "Cheong Kong," near Kumchuk, ou the 12th November, the particulars of which are stated in the despatch inclosed herewith froin Mr. Fox, Her Majesty's Acting Consul at Wuchow, with whom I also discussed the matter personally at Hong Kong.

I fully concurred in the opinion expressed both by the Governor and the Admiral that the time had come for the British authorities themselves to undertake the task of suppressing those pirate bands, and thus securing for British property the protection which the Chinese authorities have shown themselves unable or unwilling to afford; and it was also agreed that it would be well, if possible, to obtain the co-operation of the Provincial Government in carrying out the measures necessary for this purpose.

A telegram was dispatched by his Excellency the Governor to the Secretary of State for the Colonies requesting permission to take steps for the suppression of these piracies. His Excellency showed the telegram to Admiral Sir E. Seymour and myself, and we both concurred.

After my arrival in Peking, Sir Henry Blake informed me by telegram that he had received a reply from the Secretary of State for the Colonies sanctioning the steps suggested, and informing me that he had written to Her Majesty's Consul at Canton to invite the co-operation of the Viceroy; and his Excellency suggested that the Chinese Government might be willing to instract the Viceroy in the same sense, in order to express their desire to give security to life and property in the Province of Kuangtung.

any

I received his Excellency's telegram nn the 1st instant. I was of opinion that representations made to the Tsung-li Yamen to this effect would merely result in a telegram being dispatched to the Viceroy to do all in his power to prevent the British authorities from taking any part in the work of pacification, and I accordingly telegraphed the same day to the Governor of Hong Kong to say that I thought it would be better for the Hong Kong Government to take the matter in hand either by themselves or in conjunction with the local authorities, without asking for the inter- vention of the Yamên.

Subsequently, however, I had the honour to receive your Lordship's telegram of the 2nd December, containing definite instructions to press the Chinese Government to send orders to the Viceroy at Canton in the sense proposed by the Hong Kong Government, and 1 accordingly communicated these instructions to the Tsung-li Yamên in the note of which I have the honour to inclose copy herewith.

I have endeavoured to forestall the action which I had anticipated by making it clear that, in accordance with the warnings repeatedly conveyed to the Chinese authorities, Her Majesty's Government are rosolved to take action to protect British life and property; and I have hinted that under these circumstances a cordial co-opera- tion is necessary in order to maintain the credit of China.

I have, &c.

(Signed) CLAUDE M. MacDONALD.

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