This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
and China too had a grievance, in that they formerly had an outlet for their trade and enterprise which had been closed against them; that although it was not, strictly speaking, a Chinese question yet it was an Eastern question, and that if America pursued the same open-door policy through the whole of the East, in the south as well as in the north, it might go a long way to make the settlement of the question easier all round.
Mr. Rockhill said that one could not always be logical in politics, and that the Philippines were quite apart from China; America had decided on a certain policy there, and would not change it. Finally, Mr. Rockhill said that he was travelling from Hankow to Peking about the end of the week with Sir John Jordan, and would discuss the whole question then with him.
Mixed Court.--He said that he was inclined to agree with Sir John Jordan that there would be no advantage in raising the question of the new Rules at present; he thought it not improbable that China would of her own accord make the post of a Mixed Court Magistrate one to be filled by an official of higher rank. When it was suggested that he should use his influence to bring about a return to punishment by bamboo, he said that the outcry against it would be too great, although he personally agreed that trivial offences might be better dealt with in that way. It was pointed out that the present system of punishment encouraged crime, and if the bamboo were called a birch rod it would be as effective under a new name. Apparently if the change can be brought about locally it will encounter no serious opposition at Peking.
(Signed) F. ANDERSON, Shanghae, April 2, 1908.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[16817]
No. 1.
[May 16. 20024]
SECTION
Tarz 6 JUN 08.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 16.)
(No. 156.) Sir,
Peking, April 1, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a summary of reports received during the last few months from His Majesty's Consuls and others, which have not been thought to call for separate despatches, together with extracts of interest from the Chinese press.
I have, &c. (For His Majesty's Minister),
(Signed) STEPHEN LEECH.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Summary of Events in China.
Anking.
THE Commander of His Majesty's ship "Bramble," which visited Anking early in February, reports on the disaffection prevailing among the troops, a mutiny having lately been avoided only thanks to a promise of increased pay.
The new Governor of Anhui is reported by the missionaries to be a strong man of independent views, and in consequence not popular with the officials.
Tengyuch.
Bhamo District. The number of cases brought by British Kachins and others against Chinese subjects totalled over seventy during the year. Both the Deputy Commissioner and I were of the opinion that the increase in the number of cases did not indicate a serious change for the worse in the state of affairs on the frontier. The Deputy Commissioner thought that his subjects were more ready to submit their complaints to their officials than they were formerly. My own idea was that the death of Commandant Ma last year, bad rule in Lung Chuan, the death of the Sawbwa, and consequent disorder in the State, were the principal causes of the increase in the number of cases. The cases against Lung Ch'uan numbered nearly fifty.
Sixteen cases had been settled during the year, and six more were struck off at the meeting at Man-ai for various reasons; 1,091 rupees were paid to settle twenty-six cases, and in another case a buffalo was handed over. The sum of 1,694 rupees was divided amongst the Chinese Shan States as below:---
Cases. Amount. Rupees. Mengmao 510 Lung Ch'uan 944 Kan-ai 80 Santa 160 Total 26 1,694The noticeable feature about the meeting was that the Chinese accused had been brought to the place to confront the complainants, except in the cases in which the information given had not led to their identification. The Chinese Sawbwas, except Nantien, who was present himself and greatly facilitated business, sent officials to
$Page 661
1
653
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. O.
and China too had a grievance, in that they formerly had an outlet for their trade and enterprise which had been closed against them; that although it was not, strictly speaking, a Chinese question yet it was an Eastern question, and that if America pursued the same open-door policy through the whole of the East, in the south as well as in the north, it might go a long way to make the settlement of the question easier all
round.
Mr. Rockhill said that one could not always be logical in politics, and that the Philip- pines were quite apart from China; America had decided on a certain policy there, and would not change it. Finally, Mr. Rockhill said that he was travelling from Hankow to Peking about the end of the week with Sir John Jordan, and would discuss the whole question then with him.
Mixed Court.--He said that he was inclined to agree with Sir John Jordan that there would be no advantage in raising the question of the new Rules at present; he thought it not improbable that China would of her own accord make the post of a Mixed Court Magistrate one to be filled by an official of higher rank. When it was suggested that he should use his influence to bring about a return to punishment by bamboo, he said that the outery against it would be too great, although he personally agreed that trivial offences might be better dealt with in that way. It was pointed out that the present system of punishment encouraged crime, and if the bamboo were called a birch rod it would be as effective under a new name. Apparently if the change can be brought about locally it will encounter no serious opposition at Peking.
(Signed) F. ANDERSON, Shanghae, April 2, 1908.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[16817]
No. 1.
[May 16. 20024
SECTION
Tarz 6 JUN 08.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 16.)
(No. 156.) Sir,
Peking, April 1, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a summary of reports received during the last few months from His Majesty's Consuls and others, which have not been thought to call for separate despatches, together with extracts of interest from the Chinese press.
I have, &c. (For His Majesty's Minister),
(Signed) STEPHEN LEECH.
Inclosure in No. 1.
0
Summary of Events in China.
Anking.
THE Commander of His Majesty's ship "Bramble," which visited Anking early in February, reports on the disaffection prevailing among the troops, a mutiny baving lately been avoided only thanks to a promise of increased pay.
The new Governor of Anhui is reported by the missionaries to be a strong man of independent views, and in consequence not popular with the officials.
Tengyuch.
Bhamo District. The number of cases brought by British Kachins and others against Chinese subjects totalled over seventy during the year. Both the Deputy Commissioner and I were of the opinion that the increase in the number of cases did not indicate a serious change for the worse in the state of affairs on the frontier. The Deputy Commissioner thought that his subjects were more ready to submit their com- plaints to their officials than they were formerly. My own idea was that the death of Commandant Ma last year, bad rule in Lung Chuan, the death of the Sawbwa, and consequent disorder in the State, were the principal causes of the increase in the number of cases. The cases against Lung Ch'uan numbered nearly fifty.
Sixteen cases had been settled during the year, and six more were struck off at the meeting at Man-ai for various reasons; 1,091 rupees were paid to settle twenty-six cases, and in another case a buffalo was handed over. The sum of 1,694 rupees was divided amongst the Chinese Shan States as below:---
Mengmao Lung Ch'uan Kan-ai
Santa
Total
Cases.
Amount.
Rupees.
S
510
15
944
1
80
2
160
26
1,694
The noticeable feature about the meeting was that the Chinese accused had been brought to the place to confront the complainants, except in the cases in which the information given had not led to their identification. The Chinese Sawbwas, except Nantien, who was present himself and greatly facilitated business, sent officials to
[2960 q-1]
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i
$Page 661
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