CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 286

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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

284

C. O.

4136

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL

[45503]

No. 1.

[December 30-

SECTION

REGE 4 FEC 09

(Confidential.)

Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received December 30.)

THE Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and is directed by the Secretary of Stale

to transmit, for the information of Sir Edward Grey, with reference to the letter from the Colonial Department of the 14th December, a copy of the despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong, with inclosures, on the subject of the riot in Hong Kong, in connection with the boycott of Japanese goods.

Downing Street, December 29, 1908.

(Secret,)

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Governor Sir F. Lugard to the Earl of Crewe.

Government House, Hong Kong, November 12, 1908.

My Lord,

I REGRET to inform your Lordship that a riot broke out in this Colony on the 1st and 2nd instant, in connection with the boycott of Japanese goods, which was reported in my telegram of the 10th April, 1908, and to which reference was made in my Secret despatch of the 12th June, and that, for the purpose of restoring law and order, it was necessary to call upon the military authorities for assistance.

2. Since the evening of the 2nd instant all bas again been quiet, but, with a view of preventing reprisals, and upon the unanimous advice of my Executive Council, I issued the inclosed Proclamation, declaring the Colony subject to the provisions of Sections 7 to 14 of Ordinance 10 of 1886.

3. I further inclose copies of despatches and telegrams to His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, to His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio, and to His Majesty's Minister at Peking, which will place your Lordship in possession of the facts, so far as they are at present known to me, and I shall not fail to make a full report upon this regrettable occurrence so soon as the necessary investigations have been completed.

I have, &c. (Signed) F. D. LUGARD.

(Confidential.) Sir.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Governor Sir F. Lugard to Consul-General Mansfield.

Government House, Hong Kong, November 5, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit the inclosed copy of a Police report, concerning the manner in which the recent disturbances in this Colony, having their origin in the boycott of the goods of Japanese dealers, were instigated, and to request that you will be good enough to draw the serious attention of the Viceroy to the fact that the recent disturbances in this Colony, which resulted in destruction of much property and in loss of life, were the work of a gang of Chinese sent to Hong Kong for the purpose by the "National Disgrace Society in Canton, and to urge the Viceroy to cause close inquiry to be made into the matter, with a view to the punishment of the instigators of this outrage. I shall also be obliged if you will take the opportunity of informing the Viceroy that I am taking drastic measures to suppress the boycott of dealers in Japanese goods, which had led to this unfortunate occurrence, and that I trust the Viceroy will co-operate with me in taking similar steps.

I am forwarding a copy of this despatch to His Majesty's Minister at Peking.

I have, &c. (Signed) F. D. LUGARD.

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