CO129-308 - Public Offices - 1901 — Page 392

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(No. 377.) My Lord,

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No. 2.

Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received November 23.)

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C. O.

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UPON receipt of your Lordship's telegram No. 280 of the 29th August last, I

Peking, October 1, 1901. addressed an inquiry by telegraph to His Majesty's Consul at Kiungchow asking for 96 DEC 31 report as to any action which may be taken by the French in Hainan.

have now the honour to transmit herewith copy of Mr. Werner's Report. I have this day telegraphed to your Lordship the information relating to the French project for working mines in the interior.

I have, &c. (Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

(No. 8.) Sir,

Inclosure in No. 2.

Consul Werner to Sir E. Satow.

Kiungchow, September 16, 1901. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of the 30th ultimo (which, owing to an interruption of the telegraph line, only reached me yesterday) instructing me to report by post on French action in Hainan.

In reply I have the honour to state that beyond the carrying on of the general policy, which has for a long time been obvious, of obtaining influence with the officials and people in the island shown recently in the large contribution to the Kiungchow road-repairing fund, and in M. Blanchot's contemplated tour throughout the island, both noted in my last intelligence report, the only definite step on the part of the French of which I have been able to gain any knowledge is a partially-matured project to work mines in the interior, for which object two mining experts are said to have been already engaged and are expected to arrive shortly in Hoihow. The French Vice-Consul here, in connection with the matter, has retained the ex-Magistrate of Lin-kao-hsien, by name Chang Chun, recently dismissed for corruption at the official examinations, from whom he doubtless hopes to gain assistance in any negotiations he may undertake with the gentry and people