CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12] — Page 742

1

COPY.

Translation.

Enclosure 1.

5665

733

REC

REG 4 FEB 16

Despatch of the Acting Civil Governor Ling of Canton to the

Sir,

Acting British Consul-General

Sr. Wilton.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excel- -lency's despatch of the 20th. of November in which you said that you have received a despatch of His Excellency the Governor of Macao sayinė. that on the 10th, instant a Chinese force by a steam launch "Sai Cong" had landed in the island of Vong Cam, that on the same day mother stean launch "Pung U' took soldiers on board, went to the island of Vong Cam and landed them there, that these acts were prejudicial to the Portuguese sovereignty in Macao that it is necessary to request our Government to absolutely prohibit them and that you request me to give to this matter my careful attention, and send you saw m answer; so that you might transmit the same to His Excellency the Governor of Macao.

I have noted its contents. On locking into the archives I find that the large and small islands of Vong Kau are hinese territo- -ries, and that the Chinese officials taking and landing military forces there to arrest thieves were only exercising the sovereignty of China, of which I have repeatedly mentioned in my despatches to Your Excellency for the information of His Excellency the Governor of Macao.

This time Captain Lu of Chinaan took soldiers on board the steam launch and went to the said island to arrest thieves was because of the case of robberies committed by some important criminals upon the inhabitants Teng Wai Man and others in the New Territory of Hongkong in which the Superintendent of Police of Hongkong had sent a detective who had discovered that the thieves had taken refuge in Wong Kan, and requested the Police Authorities of Canton to arrest them.

The British Consul-General of Canton has also written me a letter requesting me to order the necessary measures to be taken. This action on the part of the said Captain is not improper, and is not within prohibition. As to the Treaty made between China and Portugal it ought to be justly and mutually observed, so as to avoid any

violation