CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 587

C. O.

33552

[This Document is the Property

His Britannic Majesty's Goverment.]

REGE 12 OCT 09

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[August 30.]

585

SECTION 1.

(32691]

No. 1.

Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received August 30,)

(No. 12. Confidential.) Sir,

Yunnan-fu, July 8, 1909.

I HAVE the honour to forward a copy of my despatch, Separate, of the 7th July, addressed to His Majesty's Minister at Peking, enclosing the Yunnan-fu Intelligence Report for the quarter ended the 30th June, 1909.

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

I have, &c.

E. C. WILTON,

Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir J. Jordan.

(Separate. Confidential.) Sir,

I HAVE the honour to forward herewith my Intelligence Report for the quarter ended the 30th June, 1909.

Yünnan-fu, July 7, 1909.

I have, &c.

E. C. WILTON,

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Yunnan-fu Intelligence Report for the Quarter ended June 30, 1909.

(Confidential.)

(a.) Political Summary,

Mahommedan Question in Yünnan.-The French have been taking a revived interest in the Mahommedan question in Yunnan, and, acting under orders from Paris, a report on the subject has been furnished by the consulate at Yunnan-fu. The general tenor of the report was that the Mussulmans in Yunnan need not be taken seriously as a militant factor. Speaking generally, it may be said that the Mahommedans are The latest regaining their strength after the awful drain of the 1855-1873 rebellion. Chinese census gives the average number of a Mahommedan family as six, as against five of a Chinese household. Infanticide is less common among the former and the children are more carefully nurtured. Nevertheless, they are outnumbered in the province by probably twenty to one. Respectable Mahommedans with whom I have conversed affect to despise the infidel Chinese as weaklings. It is certain, however, that, in spite of the superior vigour and energy of the former, they could make no effectual stand against the well-armed drilled troops now in Yünnan. It seems to me that they will give no trouble, unless tempted or goaded into action. The Chinese officials appear to have a fear of the Mussulman, and it may be that they are not sure of their troops.

Chinese Espionage in Tonquin. -- The French consul has informed me that the Chinese have been adopting a system of espionage on the Chinese Tonquin border, with the assistance of certain French subjects. Two letters have been traced to an employé of Messrs. Borg Brothers. This man was recently in the Colonial Service. My colleague has hinted that, in view of their unsavoury reputation, it was not unlikely that the Borg Brothers were involved in the transaction. The firm, he said, was tottering on the verge of bankruptcy.

Borg Brothers--In January last I informed the Borg Brothers that I had been instructed to register them as British subjects, and I asked for the usual particulars required for registration. The letter was registered and addressed to them at Hokou

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