35
2
China with the greater part of his staff, the remainder of whom follow him there this week. The Colony will therefore probably be governed from Saigon until some time after the arrival of M. Klobukowski there at the beginning of October.
At a farewell dinner given by the Résident Supérieur of Tonquin to M. Bonhoure, the latter's "Chef du Cabinet," M. Pasquier, spoke to me on the subject of the Burmese refugee Prince, the Mingoon Min, who has been living for years at Saigon on a pension paid him by the French Government. It appears that the Mingoon Min is now desirous of making his submission to the Government of India, and of receiving an annual allowance in return therefor. His son recently paid a visit to Paris, and, I am informed by M. Pasquier, steps were then taken to ascertain the views of the British Government on the proposal. The latter preferring that the matter should be dealt with directly by the Government of India, the French Colonial Office instructed Indo-China to lay the request before the Indian Government through the Consul-General at Calcutta. M. Pasquier said that it would be more convenient to arrange the matter through me, as I would easily be able, should the Government of India so desire, to see the Mingoon personally at Saigon. At M. Pasquier's desire M. de la Brosse, the "Chef du Bureau Politique," has several times since spoken to me of the question in an informal and unofficial manner.
It appears that the Mingoon Min states that he is old and wishes to be at peace with every one, and would like therefore to make his submission to the Government of India. But as he has lived a long time at Saigon and is accustomed to the place, he would ask that he might be allowed to remain there. He would be quite willing, should it be so desired, to pay an annual visit to Calcutta or any other place that might be appointed, and there pay formal homage. In return for this he would hope that the Indian Government would pay him an annual allowance, and M. de la Brosse thought that the amount which he was expecting was 50,000 fr. (£2,000). At present I understand that he receives 25,000 fr. per annum from the French Government; and I gathered from M. de la Brosse's conversation that, should the Government of India grant this request, the French Government would discontinue their subsidy. In fact, the hope of being able to do so is probably the chief reason they have been interesting themselves in the matter.
I told MM. Pasquier and de la Brosse that I had no idea what the views of the Government of India on the matter were, but that if it were the wish of the Governor-General I would of course transmit to India the Mingoon Prince's representations. M. de la Brosse is leaving this week for Saigon, and he will there ascertain the exact nature of the Mingoon Min's proposals and will forward them to me in order that I may lay them before the Indian Government. I suggested to him that it might be convenient to instruct the Mingoon Prince's son to come to Hanoi and see me on the subject. I also said that I imagined it would be useless for the Mingoon to expect very much from the Government of India, as he had delayed making his submission until a time when it was of comparatively small importance.
The son referred to was, I believe, born in Pondicherry. He is not, however, recognized as a French subject, being classed here as "Asiatique étranger," that is to say, on the same footing as natives of British India, Chinese, &c. He applied some time ago to be naturalized as a French citizen, but was refused. He is said to be intelligent and to speak French well. The Mingoon himself does not speak French.
The Mingoon is, of course, of no use now to the Indo-Chinese Government. Apart from the fact that the relations at present existing between Great Britain and France have deprived of all interest the ideas, which at one time were undoubtedly held by certain local politicians, of his power to raise the Shan States and Burmah against us, the acquisition by France of the former Siamese Province of Battambong, including the Pailin gem mines, has taken from him most of what remained of his utility. As long as those mines (the population of which mainly consists of British, Shans, and Burmese) belonged to Siam they were constantly visited by emissaries from the Mingoon at Saigon, who kept the people more or less in a state of unrest. During my visits there, in the days before the entente cordiale and the improved relations between France and Siam, I came to the conclusion that nearly all the miners were or had been more or less under the influence of the Mingoon or his representatives, and the latter were constantly spreading rumours of what the Burmese Prince was about to do with the help of the French. Now that the Pailin mines are in French territory, I have no doubt that the Mingoon Min has received instructions that he must leave the miners alone.
3
As soon as I receive any proposals of the Mingoon Min from Saigon, I shall forward them to the Government of India.
I am forwarding copies of this despatch (as of all political despatches) to his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong and to His Majesty's Minister at Peking. I am also forwarding a copy to the Legation at Bangkok and extracts of those parts which may be of interest to them to the Government of India and to the Consulate-General at Yünnan-fu respectively.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
T. F. CARLISLE.
1.
་་་་་་་
35
เ
2
China with the greater part of his staff, the remainder of whom follow him there this weck. The Colony will therefore probably be governed from Saigon until some time after the arrival of M. Klobukowski there at the beginning of October.
At a farewell dinner given by the Résident Supérieur of Tonquin to M. Bonhoure, the latter's "Chef du Cabinet," M. Pasquier, spoke to me on the subject of the Burmese refugee Prince, the Mingoon Min, who has been living for years at Saigon on a pension paid him by the French Government. It appears that the Mingoon Min is now desirous of making his submission to the Government of India, and of receiving an annual allowance in return therefor. His son recently paid a visit to Paris, and, I am informed by M. Pasquier, steps were then taken to ascertain the views of the British Government on the proposal. The latter preferring that the matter should be dealt with directly by the Government of India, the French Colonial Office instructed Indo-China to lay the request before the Indian Government through the Consul- General at Calcutta. M. Pasquier said that it would be more convenient to arrange the matter through me, as 1 would easily be able, should the Government of India so desire, to see the Mingooa personally at Saigon. At M. Pasquier's desire M. de la Brosse, the "Chef du Bureau Politique," has several times since spoken to me of the question in an informal and unofficial manner. It appears that the Mingoon Min states that he is old and wishes to be at peace with every one, and would like therefore to make his submission to the Government of India. But as he has lived a long time at Saigon and is accustomed to the place, he would ask that he might be allowed to remain there. He would be quite willing, should it be so desired, to pay an annual visit to Calcutta or any other place that might be appointed, and there pay formal homage. In return for this he would hope that the Indian Govern- ment would pay him an annual allowance, and M. de la Brosse thought that the amount which he was expecting was 50,000 fr. (2,000). At present I understand that he receives 25,000 fr. per annum from the French Government; and I gathered from M. de la Brosse's conversation that, should the Government of India grant this request, the French Government would discontinue their subsidy. In fact, the hope of being able to do so is probably the chief reason they have been interesting them- selves in the matter.
I told MM. Pasquier and de la Brosse that I had no idea what the views of the Government of India on the matter were, but that if it were the wish of the Governor-General I would of course transmit to India the Mingoon Prince's representations. M. de la Brosse is leaving this week for Saigon, and he will there ascertain the exact nature of the Mingoon Min's proposals and will forward them to me in order that I may lay them before the Indian Government. I suggested to him that it might be convenient to instruct the Mingoon Prince's son to come to Hanoi and see me on the subject. I also said that I imagined it would be useless for the Mingoon to expect very much from the Government of India, as he had delayed making his submission until a time when it was of comparatively small importance.
The son referred to was, I believe, born in Pondicherry. He is not, however, recognized as a French subject, being classed here as "Asiatique étranger," that is to say, on the same footing as natives of British India, Chinese, &c.
He applied some time ago to be naturalized as a French citizen, but was refused. He is said to be intelligent aud to speak French well. The Mingoon himself does not speak French.
The Mingoon is, of course, of no use now to the Indo-Chinese Government. Apart from the fact that the relations at present existing between Great Britain and France have deprived of all interest the ideas, which at one time were undoubtedly held by certain local politicians, of his power to raise the Shan States and Burmah against us, the acquisition by France of the former Siamese Province of Battambong, including the Pailin gem mines, has taken from him most of what remained of his utility. As long as those mines (the population of which mainly consists of British, Shans, and Burmese) belonged to Siam they were constantly visited by emissaries from the Mingoon at Saigon, who kept the people more or less in a state of unrest. During my visits there, in the days before the entente cordiale and the improved relations between France and Siam, I came to the conclusion that nearly all the miners were or had been more or less under the influence of the Mingoon or his representatives, and the latter were constantly spreading rumours of what the Burmese Prince was about to do with the help of the French. Now that the Pailin mines are in French territory, I have no doubt that the Mingoon Min has received instructions that he must leave the miners alone.
3
As soon as I receive any proposals of the Mingoon Min from Saigon, I shall forward them to the Government of India.
I am forwarding copies of this despatch (as of all political despatches) to his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong and to His Majesty's Minister at Peking. I am also forwarding a copy to the Legation at Bangkok and extracts of those parts which may be of interest to them to the Government of India and to the Consulate- General at Yünnan-fu respectively.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
T. F. CARLISLE.
1..
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