CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 394

(Confidential.) Sir,

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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 scrious 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 has led to this unfortunate occurrence, and that I trust the Viceroy will co-operate with me in taking similar steps.

Sir,

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

I have, &c. (Signed)

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Inspector Hanson to Governor Sir F. Lugard.

F. D. LUGARD.

Central Police Station, November 3, 1908. DETECTIVE-SERGEANT HAU HANG has informed me as follows:-

On Saturday last, the 31st ultimo, twenty-five Chinese came from Canton by the day boat, who were sent by the "National Disgrace Society" to carry out the work of the following two days in the interests of the boycolt movement. Of these twenty-five persons, one had had his queue cat and was dressed in European attire. On arrival here they all put up at various places, in brothels at Shek Tong Tsui and other places. The man without the queue purchased several hundred of small abacus frames, suitable for carrying in the pocket, at the rate of 40 cents per 100. (One herewith.) The modus operandi was this-the twenty-four men were provided with an abacus each, which they carried in their pockets until arriving at the scene of conquest. There had been enlisted into the service of these twenty-five men about 100 Chinese, composed of coolies who usually do the work of carrying ammunition for the military authorities to the rifle ranges, and of vegetable hawkers, mostly unlicensed, who, at a given signal from the one of the twenty-four, by shaking the abacus when at the door of any place that showed or contained Japanese goods, pointed out to them by the leader by his saying: "Here are Japanese goods," would proceed to burst into the place indicated and smash up things, then walking away, and leaving the goods to be picked up by the rabble as loot.

Of the twenty-five of them, twenty four are expected to leave, either for Macao or Canton, to-day, taking back with them the beads of the abacus, the frame having been discarded, to show that they have been successful, and to enable them to receive the reward of 20 dollars which awaits them from the Society at Canton. Each of them has a letter from the Society, for the double object of showing their identity in case of being shot in any mêlée here, when the people of the deceased would receive 500 dollars from the Society, and for the purpose of identity of those returning to Canton to earn the reward. The twenty-fifth man is believed to be resident in Hong Kong.

I attach a letter received by Hau Hang through the post this morning.

He and a party of detectives are now watching the Macao steamer, and will later watch the Canton steamers, with a view of having any of the twenty-four identified, if possible.

The uncle

One of the men shot yesterday is Un Chian, 22, late address 12, First Street, first floor, who with his uncle, Un Shang, alias I Sha Lo, lived at that address. also took part in the rioting, but has fled.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. W. HANSON,

Chief Detective-Inspector.

Sir,

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Inclosure 4 in No. 1.

Governor Sir F. Lugard to Sir C. MacDonald.

Government House, Hong Kong, November 4, 1908. I HAVE the honour to confirm my telegram, which I dispatched to you on the 2nd instant, and of which I inclose a copy en clair. I regret to inform you that on Sunday and Monday, the 1st and 2nd November, serious rioting broke out in this Colony in connection with the Japanese boycott. It would appear, so far as I am at present able to judge, that the fact that the boycott was becoming inoperative here, and that rumours of its complete abandonment at an early day had gained credence, bad prompted the "National Disgrace Society "at Canton to dispatch a body of men to organize a riot here and to destroy the property of Chinese merchants and tradesmen who dealt in Japanese goods. In reference to this, I inclose a copy of report made to me by the police to-day.

2. The organization was directed solely against Chinese vendors, and I have heard of no instance in which a Japanese shop was injured. The riot attained such dimensions that I was under the necessity of calling out troops to restore order. I am taking drastic steps to deal with those Hong Kong Chinese who have connived at or instigated this outrage, and to put a forcible end, if that should be possible, to the continuance of the boycott.

3. I shall be obliged if you will explain to the Government of His Imperial Majesty my regret that this Colony should have been the scene of an émeute prompted by ill-feeling towards Japan, even though it originated from a city in China, and was so cleverly and secretly planned as to be a complete surprise to this Colony.

4. I leave it to your consideration and discretion how far you may judge it to be advisable to communicate the details of which I have informed you to the Japanese Government. I should be sorry to inflame the feeling in that country against China, but at the same time I consider it as I am sure your Excellency will-to be of great importance that the Japanese Government should be made fully aware that the origin and cause of this disturbance did not emanate from this British Colony. The participa- tion of Canton emissaries is already reported in the local press, and the Japanese Consul will no doubt advise his Government of the whole circumstances so far as he may know them. No Japanese were attacked.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 5 in No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.

F. D. LUGARD.

Your Highness,

Peking, November 24, 1908. I HAVE received a despatch from his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the riot which took place in that Colony on the 1st and 2nd November. The object of this disorder was to destroy the shops and goods of Chinese vendors of Japanese articles, and it was organized from Canton by the so-called "National Disgrace Society," which sent more than twenty emissaries to Hong Kong on the 31st October for the express purpose of fomenting a disturbance. These persons so far succeeded in their nefarious design that troops had to be called out to quell the riot which they had provoked.

1 need hardly point out to your Highness the gravity of the offence and the injury to good relations involved in such proceedings. That a hostile demonstration against Japan should have taken place in a British Colony at the instigation of Chinese agitators from Canton cannot fail to produce a most unfavourable impression on His Majesty's Government, and it is my duty to draw the serious attention of the Chinese Government to the occurrence, and to request that the responsible agents of the Society in question may be severely punished. I trust also that the Viceroy at Canton may be urged to take all precautions to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

I avail, &c.

(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.

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