Sessional_Paper_1884-1885 — Page 56

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PETITION. The Honourable WONG SHING brought up a Petition from certain Chinese Merchants, praying for leave to use the Kau-ng Chek or the Custom House Standard Chek in Hongkong instead of the Chek (foot) as described in Ordinance 8 of 1885, and moved that it be received.

Question-put and passed.

QUESTIONS. The Honourable T. JACKSON, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions :---

1st. Has the Blockade of Pakhoi been legally notified?

2nd. Is it an effective blockade?

3rd. Can your Excellency suggest any remedies for the existing evils under which the trade of this Colony with Pakhoi, and the surrounding district is at present suffering, in consequence of the reported blockade?

His Excellency the Governor addressed the Council as follows:-

HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,-My Honourable friend who represents the Chamber of Commerce has, in the exercise of his undoubted privilege as a Member of this Council, put questions to the Government on a subject of the gravest import- ance to the interests of this community. I am very glad indeed that my Honourable friend has taken this course, because it enables me to lay before the Council a Minute giving the fullest information which I have been able to collect on all the subjects connected with the matter to which he refers. Before reading that minute I will, with the permission of the Council, inform you of a telegram which I have during the last half hour received from Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking:-

H.B.M. CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES AT PEKING TO THE GOVERnor of Hongkong. (Received 8th April at 3.30 p.m.)

Protocol restoring peace between France and China has been signed in Paris, and would probably be submitted to the French Legislative Chambers on the 7th April.

Armistice with probibition of contraband of war continues till definitive signature of Treaty. Please communicate to Admiral in command.

This, of course, I at once did. Favourable as is the prospect of peace, still as the present state of affairs seems likely to continue for a short time, I think it better that I should read to the Council the Minute to which I have referred :-

When the French Consul announced to me the blockade of Pakhoi and of the neigh- bouring Coast, I immediately (on the 6th March ultimo), telegraphed this intelligence to Her Majesty's Government, and on the following day (March 7th), I addressed to Lord DERBY the subjoined despatch:

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 7th March, 1885.

"MY LORD, I have the honour to report that I yesterday telegraphed to your Lordship in the following terms :-

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The French Consul informs me that a blockade will be established from March the 7th on Pakhoi and the neighbouring coast of China, from the frontier of Tonquin to the 107th meridian of longitude.'

2. This blockade was announced to the French Consul at Hongkong by a telegram from Captain DE BEAUMONT, commanding the French Naval Forces in Tonquin, dated at Haiphong on the 5th instant. It was added that no notice of the blockade could be given to the Foreign Consuls at Pakhoi, as no communications were possible between the French Naval Forces and that port. Consequently, I telegraphed to the above effect to the British Consul at Pakhoi (Mr. ALLEN).

3. It appears that the longitude referred to is reckoned by the French from Paris; and therefore, the blockade would seem to extend from the Frontier of Tonquin to a short dis- tance to the East of the Treaty Port of Pahkoi; which contains about 25,000 inhabitants and is the outlet of a large district.-Public Notice (By Proclamation in the Hongkong Government Gazette of March 7th 1885) of the blockade has been given at Hongkong, which carries on a considerable trade with Pakhoi; and Admiral Sir W. DOWELL has despatched thither the British Gun-boat Espoir.

4. It will be understood that the French are now blockading parts of the coast of China both to the North and to the South of Hongkong."

As is mentioned in this despatch, I lost no time in causing public notice of the blockade to be given in the Hongkong Government Gazette of March 7th, and there was a further notice in the Gazette of March 28th, when the British Consul at Pakhoi had sent me, under flying seal, a letter addressed to Her Majesty's Minister at Peking, to the effect that the blockade was then in active operation, being carried on by two French Men-of-war. This is all that I know concerning the blockade of Pakhoi.