No. 3.
C.O.
Sir C. MacDonald to the Marquess of Salisbury-(Received April 301 7143
(No. 53.)
IRE & My Lord,
Peking, March 16,3PMAY 00 I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship copy of extincts from the Canton Consulate Intelligence Report for the months of January and February of this year.
550 I have, &c. (Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD.
Inclosure in No. 3.
Extracts from the Canton Intelligence Report for the Months of January and February, 1900.
Political Summary.-The important event of the last two months has been the assumption of the Governor-Generalship of the two Kuangs by his Excellency Li Hung- chang. His predecessor, Viceroy Tan, of unfortunate memory, left Canton very quietly on the 7th January, and his departure was hailed with general satisfaction. It is said that, in the streets through which he passed on his way to the wharf, the shops were closed as a sign of disapproval. Viceroy Li arrived at 1-30 P.M. on the 17th January, and took over the seals of office on the following day. The usual nonsensical rumours were afloat regarding the hatred borne to him by the Cantonese, and the possibility of his being assassinated, but, as far as can be gathered from conversation with educated Chinese, the general consensus of opinion is that he is the right man in the right place.
One of his Excellency's first acts was the abolition of the objectionable Board of Foreign Affairs, which, indeed, has never been recognized by this Consulate. The offices of the Board were originally situated in the vicinity of the Viceroy's Yamên, but the members have now been ordered to move into the Viceroy's Yamên, there to act in the capacity of Secretaries and Deputies, their salaries being defrayed by the Board of Reorganization. The same personnel is retained. This was officially notified to the Consuls on the 28th January.
His Excellency has expressed his determination to deal effectively with the piracy question, and only asks for time. There is little doubt that he is in earnest, and great hopes are entertained of a radical change for the better in the condition of the country. But, considering the way in which it has been allowed to get out of hand, owing to the supineness of Viceroy Tan, it is vain to expect that matters will right themselves instantaneously.
His Excellency is quite prepared to accept the co-operation of Her Majesty's slips, and, at the request of the Hong Kong authorities, at once dispatched two officials to Hong Kong to confer with them as to a modus operandi. The mission was in vain, for the Hong Kong authorities had nothing ready, and the two Chinese officials were merely passed about between the Governor, the Commodore, and the Admiral without anything definite being agreed upon. They returned to Canton fortified with a promise that a scheme for joint action would be submitted in ten days or so. One cannot help thinking that, before inviting Chinese officials to confer as to joint action, it might have been advisable to have some definite proposal ready. It is true that the officials unfortunately arrived in Hong Kong at the time of the races, which most important event is apt to completely fill the horizon to the exclusion of everything else.
Piracy Notes.-The British launch "Lily," belonging to Messrs. Bomanjee and Co., was pirated between this and Whampoa on the 21st January, and on the 29th of the
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