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I am sorry to say that I am now in receipt of a telegram from Mr. Fox, informing me that, after a fortnight of quiet, the agitation has been revived by the Self- government Society, apparently in consequence of the result of the trial in the Portuguese Court, and that their meetings have had the result of establishing a boycott of the "Fatshan."
On the 1st January the passengers on board were intimidated into leaving the ship, which was obliged to sail for Hong Kong practically empty. Mr. Fox reports that there are rumours of an attack upon the Concession, and that he will call upon the Viceroy to take strong measures against the leaders of the agitation. I have also impressed the gravity of the new situation upon the Wai-wn Pu, who have promised to telegraph at once to the Viceroy. The Commodore at Hong Kong is at present at Canton in the "Alacrity," and has ample force to deal with any emergency,
It may well seem strange that such a slight incident as the death of a Chinese passenger on a British steamer should provoke such a formidable demonstration of ill-feeling. The Government of Hong Kong have, however, recently issued orders of banishment against four leading members of the Self-government Society residing at Canton, owing to the part played by the Society in the boycott of Japanese goods and the anti-Japanese riot in the colony, and the attitude of the Society in the present instance may in some measure be attributed to a desire to revenge itself for this action. In this connection I would call your attention to Mr. Fox's despatch No. 69 of the 8th ultimo, inclosed in this despatch. Copies of Mr. Fox's despatches reporting upon the Fatshan case are also inclosed for your information.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
""
P.S.-As I write, I have just received a telegram from Mr. Fox stating that the Self-government Society and the Viceroy have publicly deprecated a boycott of the "Futshan," and that the steamer has left for Hong Kong with a full complement of passengers. My telegram No. 8 of to-day will already have conveyed this information to you.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. J.
(No. 69. Confidential.)
Canton, December 8, 1908. Sir,
WITH reference to my despatch No. 62 of the 14th ultimo on the subject of the boycott of Japanese goods in Hong Kong and Canton, and the part played in the agitation by the Self-government Society of Canton, I have the honour to report that the Hong Kong Government have issued orders of banishment against four leading Members of the Society who reside in Canton, namely, Messrs. Lai Kai Li, Lo Kuan She, Lau Tze Kai, and Tse Yam Luk.
The two first named have undoubtedly taken an active share in the revival of the boycott movement which culminated in the recent disturbances in Hong Kong. The evidence against the last two is, as far as I can gather, entirely circumstantial, and, as a matter of fact, both gentlemen deny having had any connection with the hoycott movement either here or in Hong Kong.
Mr. Lau Tze Kai, who was educated in America and wears foreign clothes, is a dentist in Canton with a considerable foreign practice. Mr. Tse Yam Luk is the pastor in charge of the native church affiliated to the Londou Mission in Canton.
I have unofficially brought the cases of Messrs. Lau and Tse to the notice of the Governor of Hong Kong, and his Excellency informs me that if they will publish in the Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong a notice stating that they have no connection or sympathy with the boycott of Japanese goods, he will reconsider their orders of banishment.
In the case of Mr. Tsang Yau Po, one of the principal Tien-tsin shippers in Hong Kong, against whom an order of banishment has also been issued, two representatives of the largest native piece-good hongs in Canton waited upon me a few days ago and asked for my good offices in obtaining the withdrawal of the banishment order against Mr. Tsang Yau Po. They offered to hold themselves responsible for his future good behaviour, and explained that his banishment from the colony would be a serious blow
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to the business, not only of himself and friends, but also of the British Shipping Companies engaged in the Shanghac and Tien-tsin trade.
I have since communicated to these gentlemen the Governor's suggestion above referred to.
The unexpected issue of these orders of banishment against well-known Chinese, both in Canton and Hong Kong, has caused considerable excitement in Canton, and I have reason to believe that the hostile attitude of the Self-government Society towards the British authorities in connection with the "Fatshan case is in great measure due to resentment at the action of the Hong Kong Government in banishing leading members of the Society from the colony.
I have, &c. (Signed)
(No. 71.) Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.
HARRY H. FOX.
Canton, December 9, 1908. IN my telegram No. 24 of yesterday's date I had the honour to report that the death of a Chinese passenger on Messrs. Butterfield and Swire's river steamer "Fatshan" when on a voyage between Hong Kong and Canton on the night of the 29th November, alleged to have been caused by a Portuguese watchman, had given rise to a serious anti-foreign agitation, directed and encouraged by the Self-government Society and the Chinese newspapers of Canton.
The following documents, which I have the honour to submit for your considera- tion, will, I venture to think, serve to bring before you the circumstances of this case and the action I have taken with regard to it in a brief and concise manner.
I inclose, firstly, Mr. Vice-Consul Porter's Report of the proceedings on board To this I attach the "Fatshau " on the morning of the 30th November. Dr. Davenport's Report of his examination of the body of the deceased passenger.
I next inclose a fairly accurate Report of the inquiry held by me at this Consulate- General on Tuesday and Thursday, the 1st and 3rd December, taken from the "Hong Kong Daily Press," at which I came to the conclusion that the evidence against the accused watchman was not sufficient to justify me in handing him over to bis Consul on a charge of manslaughter, and further that deceased's death was due to natural causes,
On the 4th December I forwarded copy of the depositions taken at the inquiry, together with my finding, to the Viceroy, and in a covering despatch, which forms Inclosure 6, I asked his Excellency, if satisfied with the decision I had come to, to issue a Proclamation which would have the effect of allaying the popular excitement aroused by the exaggerated reports of the case which had appeared in the Canton newspapers.
As the Chinese newspapers which appeared on the following day, the 5th December, contained most inaccurate and one-sided reports of the proceedings, I wrote to the Viceroy (Inclosure 7), requesting him, in accordance with the new press laws, to prevent the newspapers from publishing matter calculated to impair the friendly relations existing between Chinese and British in Canton.
On the 7th December I again wrote to the Viceroy (Inclosure 8), drawing his attention to the proceedings of the Self-government Society, who had called a public meeting for that morning to discuss "kicking to death of a Chinese passenger by a "and pointing out the serious consequences that foreigner on the steamer Fatshan,' would probably ensue if the Society were allowed to continue to excite the popular mind in this manner.
On the 8th December I was obliged to write again to the Viceroy (Inclosure 9), complaining of his apparent neglect of my representations, and stating my intention of calling upon him the following morning.
The Viceroy, in a note just received, has asked me to defer my visit until Thursday, the 10th instant.
In a despatch, which only reached me last night, the Viceroy gives an evasive reply (Inclosure 10) to my complaints of newspaper misrepresentations. This the only official arrived; communication I have received from his Excellency since the day the Fatshan "
he has issued no Proclamation, nor has he expressed, either to me or to the Portuguese Consul, any opinion on the result of the inquiry,
In Inclosure 11 I forward copies and translations of typical extracts from articles in the vernacular press dealing with the "Fatshan" affair.
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