Cantlie's work and activities in Hong Kong

Comprises the following miscellaneous loose papers (originally found grouped together):

MS.7937/1: transcription and translation: of a card, 19 Feb 1879, from Li Hung Chang, Imperial Commissioner of the Ja-tsting dynasty, Grand Tutor of the Heir apparent, Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, governor General of Chilali, Earl of Suh-i of the first rank, to Governor of the English Colony of Hong Kong, John Pope [Numussy], acknowledging receipt of a cover, dated 1879.

MS.7937/2: signed and witnessed partnership agreement, between Cantlie, and Patrick Manson and William Hartigan of Hong Kong, for joint medical practice in Hong Kong, dated February 1887.

MS.7937/3: invitation to the College of Medicine for Chinese Hong Kong Inaugural Address by Patrick Manson, M.D. L.LD., Dean, in the City Hall, dated 1 October 1887.

MS.7937/4: College of Medicine for Chinese, Hong Kong, booklet. Constitution, curriculum and text of Inaugural Address of the Dean (Patrick Manson) on 1 October 1887, dated c.1888.

MS.7937/5: 'College of Medicine for Chinese, Act of Incorporation' draft manuscript by Cantlie, dated c.1888.

MS.7937/6: letter (incomplete) to Cantlie from unknown correspondent of Tientsin, on matters regarding the College of Medicine for Chinese, Hong Kong, including Li Hang Chang as a new patron, dated September 1889.

MS.7937/7: The China Mail, 25 Jul 1892, detailed report of a dinner at Mount Austin Hotel to celebrate the first students graduating from the College of Medicine for the Chinese, including Sun Yat Sen; and menu card, dated July 1892.

MS.7937/8: pamphlet of an address by Cantlie on the inaugural meeting of the Hong Kong "Odd Volumes" Society (a literary society/book club, dated March 1893.

MS.7937/9: black and white photograph [torn out of a publication] of students of the College of Medicine, Hong Kong, 1893, and Cantlie, dated c.1893.

MS.7937/10: Overland China Mail , 19 Jul 1894, letters in reply to Cantlie on the plague in Hong Kong, and other articles on plague cases and statistics, dated July 1894.

MS.7937/11: papers re Cantlie's departure from Hong Kong in Feb 1896 and resignation as Dean of the College and proposal to return to England to raise a fund for the endowment of the College. Iincludes letter from John C Thomson, Secretary to the College, printed address autographed, from 'the Court, Senate, Licentiates and Students of the College of Medicine for Chinese and from the Clinical Staff of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals'; articles and reports in The Overland China Mail, 13 Feb 1896, paying tribute to Cantlie, and tribute from "Ye Cronies" of Hong Kong, 6 items, dated January 1896- February 1896.

MS.7937/12: photocopy of a letter from Patrick Manson to Cantlie, promising to help in the scheme [? for an endowment fund for the College of Medicine for the Chinese] and in raising £5000, dated July 1896.

MS.7937/13: letter (most of first page is torn out) from Cantlie (probably to one of his sisters) on Sun Yat Sen's kidnap and imprisonment by the Chinese Legation in London, dated October 1896.

MS.7937/14: annotated draf of poem entitled 'Li Hung on his travels' in 'Pidgin English', by Cantlie, dated c.1896-1901.

MS.7937/15: letter to Sun Yat Sen from the Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong, J. H. Stewart Lockhart, stating that he will be arrested under an order of banishment issued in 1896 if he lands in the British Colony of Hong Kong seeking asylum, dated October 1897.

MS.7937/16: 'Jubilee Song, June "a tight little Island"', manuscript by Cantlie on Hong Kong, dated 1890s.

MS.7937/17: Includes anecdotes (by a unknown friend who, according to the first page, lived in the Cantlies' house in Hong Kong), such as a visit of Dr Sun Yat Sen; manuscript notes paying tribute to James and Lady Cantlie and their relationship, dated c.1890s-1926.

MS.7937/18: "Private proof" (written in ink on the top).Hong Kong College of Medicine, appeal for an Endowment Fund, by F. H. May, Rector, and J. C. Thomson, Secretary, dated July 1907.

MS.7937/19: transcript of covering letter and circular letter of appeal by Cantlie to the China Association, to subscribe to the fund to support foundation of a University for Hong Kong and to secure the incorporation of the College of Medicine in the University (specifically to fund chairs of anatomy and physiology), dated April 1909.

MS.7937/20: manuscript copy of letter by Cantlie to editor of The Times, concerning their reporting of the revolutionary movement in China, his views on the election of Yuan Shih Kai as president, reasons for acquiescence of revolutionaries, such as Dr Sun Yat Sen in the appointment of this representative of the 'old China', and Yuan Shih Kai's history, dated December 1911.

MS.7937/21: Telegram to Cantlie from Dr Sun Yat Sen, protesting against the conclusion of the Chinese Reorganisation Loan. He condemns the assassination of Nationalist leader Sungchiaojen in Shanghai ("in which the Peking Government was seriously implicated") and the "unconstitutional" negotiation of a loan for £25,000,000 with the Quintuple Group by the Peking Government. He appeals to foreign powers to exert their influence in the preservation of peace in the Chinese Republic by preventing financiers and bandkers from providing the Peking Government with funds which will "undoubtedly" be used "in waging war against [the] people" and the Republic, thus plunging the country into a devastating conflict which may consequently also affect foreign interests in China. With letter from Foreign Office returning the telegram to Cantlie, dated May 1913.

MS.7937/22: Chinese Students' Society Annual Dinner programme, with notes by Cantlie for his guest speech and autographed on the back by various attendees, dated March 1922.

MS.7937/23L obituary of Dr Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925), and Programme of Memorial Service (mainly in Chinese), dated 1925.

Note: some large newspaper pages (7937/7/2, 7937/10, 7937/11/3-5) have been extracted and replaced by to-scale facsimiles.

1879-1926

1 box

MS.7939/5: Incorporation did not take place until 1907. MS.7937/9: Sun Yat Sen left in 1892 so is not in this picture.

Database description transcribed from Richard Aspin and Christopher Hilton's typescript supplement to S.A.J Moorat's Catalogue of Western Manuscripts

The following phtographs are held by Wellcome Images: MS.7937/3, Invitation card to the Inauguration Ceremony of the College of Medicine for Chinese, Hong Kong, dated 1 Oct 1887, L0040611 MS.7937/7/1, The College of Medicine for Chinese, menu card for dinner given by the Dean on the occasion of the presentation of diploma to the first licentiate, 23 July 1892, L41043 & L40612 MS.7937/11/1, Letter from John Thompson, Secretary to the College, The College of Medicine for Chinese, to James Cantlie, dated 20th Jan 1896, Hong Kong, L41005-L41006 MS.7937/11/2, Printed address, dated 5 Feb 1896, from the Court, Senate, Licenciates and Students of the College of Medicine for Chinese, L41040-L41042 MS.7937/15, Letter from Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong government to Dr Dun Yat-Sen on latter's order of banishment, dated 4 Oct 1897, L0040623-4 MS.7937/18, Hong Kong College of Medicine, printed appeal for an endowment fund, L41007-L41009