CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 444

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"show" was entirely unlike anything which he had been led to anticipate after the unostentatious little mud-house which serves as the British consulate in Tengyuch. He is a man of considerable courage, of boundless ambition, and of a direct and definite mind, and all of these qualities are of sterling worth at this remote frontier post. I am informed on good authority that his attitude towards internal affairs has shown a marked change since his return from the frontier, and that his actions have been marked by a thoughtfulness and moderation which were previously unknown.

The sub-prefect ("ting") of Tengyueh, Wen Liang-yi, speaks English and has never been actively objectionable, though he is hopelessly weak, and has been used to do all the unpleasant internal work of the post in a great moncy-raising campaign which was organised by the taotal to serve his own ends at Yunnan-fu. The ting has now become the scapegoat of the occasion, and is likely to be removed from office in the near future. The circumstances are so curious and throw so interesting a light upon the internal working of Chinese affairs that they are worthy of passing mention. Throughout last year irregular "

" squeezes were rampant in the city; respectable citizens were imprisoned and tortured until their generosity was moved to the required point; family affairs were made the subject of official action, with an inevitable financial ending; and public feeling eventually ran so high that scurrilous placards proclaimed the shortcomings of the ting on the walls and gates of the city. It was felt that the taotal should have enquired into the abuses thus so publicly denounced, and his failure to do so caused a volley of placards and pamphlets associating his name with that of his subordinate as a dog and an enemy of the common people." It was then hoped and believed that the Viceroy could not fail to take action and to order some enquiry, but when Yiunau-fu made no sign and no redress was forthcoming they proceeded to take the law into their own hands. Some five days ago eight criminals, two of whom had been condemned to death, quietly and effectually vanished from the prison of the ting's yamên, leaving behind them their handcuffs and shackles, and in one case even the prison-grown hair from a quickly shaven tonsure. The circumstances of their escape all indicated an organised and widespread assistance from influential sources, whilst the gentry and merchants ostentatiously withheld both sympathy and offers of help. Such an incident appears to be among the most serious offences of Chinese officialdom, and no one doubts that the ting will now be removed from office, and may even lose his rank-a disaster of the most ernel kind to a man of little substance. It is impossible to feel no sympathy for the unhappy man, who has grown shrivelled and old in the course of a few desperate days and sleepless nights; but his removal will be a blessing to the city and a lesson to his successors, whilst there remains a realisation that the Chinese are surely avenged when their officials stray beyond the recognised limits in finance or administration.

The frontier deputy, Chan Kai-hsuau, is an official of the best type. I attribute the present favourable turn of events largely to his sensible and capable management, whilst I believe that his confidence was won and his friendship ensured by the British officers at the Sima frontier meetings, at which he has twice presided as the Viceroy's representative. My only regret is that he will probably leave his poorly paid post at the earliest opportunity, for it is evident that he has gained the Viceroy's ear and that the taotal decides nothing without his concurrence. It is likely, therefore, that we shall lose him from the frontier in the 3rd moon, when the expiration of family mourning will make it possible for him to accept a territorial post.

Kuang Kuei-yuan, a Cantonese, has just been appointed to the post of assistant frontier deputy. He has served in several posts as magistrate and holds rank as an expectant taotai, so that his status is entirely satisfactory and his appointment very gratifying after the trouble which was caused by his predecessor. He took little part in the actual work of the frontier meeting, confining himself chiefly to watching Mr. Chao--a very admirable training. He seemed a pleasant man, however, and be succeeded in establishing very cordial relations with his British colleagues, though his knowledge of English was confined to one word.

Consulate Writer.

In dealing with the Chinese personalities of the frontier I feel that a tribute is due to the consulate writer, Han Wei-tsu, a man of official rank and good standing in Tengyueh, who has stood by the consulate in difficult times. He was engaged by the late Mr. Litton and has seen much interesting service, including the conclusion of the Thibetan negotiations, during which he acted as writer to Mr. Wilton in India. In

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the work of the past year he has been of the greatest assistance, and has never failed to keep me in touch with avery move of the Chinese; his information has always been prompt and I have never found it to be at fault. His activity during these contentious times has naturally brought him under the suspicion of the Chinese, who have done their best to embarrass him; but I hope that he will be supported by the consulate and that his services will eventually meet with some suitable reward. During the recent improvement in relations both the taotai and the frontier deputy have expressed their gratitude for his assistance, and there can be no doubt of the value of an intelligent and experienced Chinese as a member of the staff in a situation such as that through which we have recently passed.

Value of Frontier Meetings.

Before leaving the question of the frontier meetings I would emphasise the value of these functions, not only in their bearing on the relations between our frontier officers and those of China, but also in their effect on the British officers who find in them an opportunity for an exchange of ideas on common questions and common difficulties, and a conception of the broad issues which affect alike each section of the border in its relations with its Chinese neighbours. Meetings have now been held for some fifteen years, but, until the past three years, no responsible representative has attended on behalf of the Yunnan Government. The presence of the Tengyueh Taotai, who controls the Western Marches, has been a decided stop in advance and has resulted in the formulation of definite principles for the settlement of frontier disputes, whilst the formal gathering of the Burmah and Yunnan officials at an international function, supported on each side by a strong escort, has been an object- lesson to the frontier tribesmen that the two Governments are determined to work together in the suppression of frontier lawlessness and to supersede the old blood-feuds by proper punishments which can be and will be enforced in case of need. The proof of their value has been found in the striking decrease of serious charges, and the practical absence of those armed raids which, until recent years, formed so grave a factor in our frontier politics. In the course of the three years under the new system it has been our misfortune to undertake the conversion of three separate taotais, each of whom has seen and realised the practical reality of British force on the frontier and has returned to his post a more reasonable frontier official, only to be replaced by a new representative with whom the process must be commenced all over again, and for this reason I am anxious that the Taotai Keng should, if possible, receive the substantive post at Tengyueh and remain for several years. The courtesy, the patience, and the real desire for just and conciliatory settlements shown by our officers has, undoubtedly, had its effect, and I am convinced that the Chinese have genuine regard for the Burmah officers now on the frontier whom they have learned to know and respect. This year I fear that there must be changes in the British representatives, Mr. Cabell having already left his frontier post, but, inevitable as such changes must be, they are a very real loss, for border conditions are so unusual and so strange, and frontier affairs are, for the moment, inclined to move so quickly that a ripe experience is of inestimable value. Mr. Thornton and Mr. Hertz especially are now real authorities on all affairs connected with the border, and their experience and the certainty of the view which they will take up in regard to international cases and questions has a very definite bearing on and a very real value in every question which concerns the Chinese. The efforts of our military officers, too, in arranging the spectacle and the solid military backing of the frontier meetings has constantly impressed the Chinese, and has certainly had its effect in reversing the unsatisfactory relations of the past year, whilst creating among the Chinese military officers not only a solid respect, but a feeling in some cases of real comradeship and genuine regard, which has helped me very much in arranging matters at Tengyuch.

For the British officers themselves, I hope, and believe, that the meetings are of real value. The consul is the only British officer stationed on the China side of the frontier, as he is the only one who has an opportunity of seeing the attitude and activity of the Chinese along all sections of the frontier and of meeting all the Burmah officers and endeavouring to realise the trend of Chinese affairs in its bearing on the interests of the frontier as a whole, After the entire isolation of Tengyuch the annual meetings and the opportunity of hearing the views of his Burmah colleagues are an immense stimulus to his work, enabling him to gather what is needed in the interests of Burmah and in what direction his activity can most usefully be directed in the work of the coming year. After an experience of the frontier meetings of three

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