Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 524

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stones and threatened Mr. MAY and his party. I desire to avoid any hostilities except as a defensive measure or so far as may be necessary to relieve Mr. MAY should you find him attacked. He has sent for the San On Magistrate. You should communicate with the Kowloon Authority and request him to send 200 men forthwith and protect the matshed. You will, so soon as an answer has been received, withdraw Mr. Max's party, leaving the responsibility of protecting the matshed to the Chinese. I do not desire to assume any responsibility in the matter until I have taken over the territory.

HENRY A, BLAKE,

You can explain the position to the villagers and warn them of the danger of their proceedings.

ENCLOSURE NO. 2 IN GOVERNOR'S DESPATCH OF THE 7TH APRIL, 1899.

(Colonial Secretary's Report of the 5th April, 1899.)

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

HONGKONG, 5th April, 1899.

In pursuance of the instructions from Your Excellency, a copy of which is attached, I started about 2.35 a.m. on the 4th instant from Government House and proceeded with Mr. Ts or on board a Police pinnace to Kowloon City which was reached about 3.30 a.m.

The Colonel-in-Command there was at once aroused from his slumbers and informed by me of the situation at Tái pó Hü (A). At my request he promised to telegraph to the Viceroy at Canton and to send special messengers to the San On Magistrate and to Major FoNG, the Officer-in-Command of the 300 Chinese troops, to be despatched to various points in the newly leased territory. I left Kowloon City at 4 a.m. and went on board H.M.S. Whiting at 4.17 a.m. which was waiting in Kowloon Bay in accordance with an arrangement previously made with His Excellency the General Officer Commanding, Major-General GASCOIGNE, C.M.G. As soon as we got on board, the Whiting started for Tái pó Hü and I read my instructions to His Excellency the General Officer Commanding.

We passed the Lyemoon l'ass at 4.38 a.m. A dense fog came on at 5 a.m. and ten minutes later the Whiting had to stop to take soundings. After soundings had been taken she proceeded at a speed of about 20 knots.

At about 5.30 a.m. she ran against the rocks at Fung Head, south of the entrance of Mirs Bay.

Considering how dense the fog was and the speed at which the Whiting had to proceed, in view of the urgency of her mission, Commander KELLY showed great presence of mind under very difficult circumstances.

The Whiting reached Tolo Harbour at 9 a.m. and anchored at a distance of a little more than 2 miles from the point where the matsheds were situated.

The party had disembarked at 9.45 a.m. and marched at once along the north shore of Tolo Harbour for Tái pó Hü which was about 4 miles distant and which was reached at 10.45 a.m.

On seeig our approach many of the villagers took refuge in the hills, but some of the elders of the village and the custodian of the temple in the village were brought to the temple and questioned.*

材

It was ascertained that the villages of Chá lang (H), Lam Ts'ün (# (), Shün Wan (), Cheung Shu T'an (†), Pan Ch'ung

(H), Nám Hang (), and Fan Ling() had taken part in the

opposition offered to Mr. MAY and his party.

The custodian of the temple informed us that Mr. MAY and party returned

early in the morning by boat to Sha Tin.

The temple-keeper at first professed ignorance of the whole affair, but when some of the personal effects of the Indian Constables and a sun belmet were found in the temple he became more communicative.

The other elders said they knew nothing of the matter.

* Names not printed.