CO129-328 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [1-6] — Page 425

(C C P Y)

Enclosure 1,

Sir.

C. O.

17369 418

¡Rec?

Red 22 MAY 05

Macao, 29th. March, 1905.

His Excellency

I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the

Portuguese Consul at Hongkong has sent to me a copy of the Colonial Secretary of Hongkong's despatch, addressed to the said Consul, re- ferring to Your Excellency's refusal to sanction the exportation to Macao of the 200 rifles and 20,000 cartridges which the dealer Tan

Sam of the Cheong Ly firm of Vaceo had been authorised to import.

I beg Your Excellency's leave to state that I cannot

in any way agree with what the Colonial Secretary of Hongkong has stated in the despatch referred to, and most specially to para- graph No.2 from which, with all due respect, I beg to dissent to-

tally; not merely on account of the injustice manifestly shown, as

I shall further down prove with the map of arms sold or given in

exchange to the junks and other fishing boats, for their exclusive defence; but because it also forgets the efficacy of the supervi- sion whibh so important a branch of public duty has merited from

the authorities of this Colony.

The subject of the importation, exportation and sale

of arms has merited all the care and vigilance on the part of the Vacao Government, in order to avoid any fraud or contraband.

There are in Macao five dealers in war materials;

and when on the 29th. November last, the Colonial Secretary-General of Macao was instructed by me to go over to Hongkong, in order to confer with Your Excellency not to put any difficulties in the way. against the exportation of war materials, which the Macao Govern- ment, by means of permits might grant to the five above mentioned dealers, the Colonial Secretary of Wacao had occasioned to state to Your Excellency that all these war materials, coming into Vacao

Sir Vatthew Nathan K.C.N.G.

Governor of Hongkong.