In 1898 Great Britain secured a lease of the Weihaiwei coastal region in the Chinese
province of Shantung (now Shandong) for a period of 25 years (later extended to 32
years). (1)
(1) The leased territory covered :
- the town of Weihaiwei (now Weihai),
- the island of Liukung and some minor islets.
It was divided into two zones :
- the town of Weihaiwei under a common British-Chinese administration,
- the rest of the leased territory under exclusive British administration,
To this was added a zone surrounding the leased territory under Chinese
authority, but where the British enjoyed some privileges.
(When the British occupied the town, the Japanese also handed over its
fortifications they manned since the Chinese defeat in the war of 1894-
1895)
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BRITISH CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
At first Weihaiwei was intended to become a major British naval base and was under
military administration. But as the location proved to be inadequate, this idea was
dropped and in 1901 the territory was handed over to civilian administrators.
Commander of the British Naval Forces in China
(subordinated to the Admirality)
1898 - 1901 ViceAdm. Sir Edward Hobart Seymour 1840 - 1929
Naval Officer in charge
1898 - 1899 ...
Military and Civil Commissioner
(subordinated to the War office)
1899 - 1901 MajGen. Sir (1900) Arthur Robert Ford
Dorward 1848 - 1934
Civil Commissioners
(subordinated to the Colonial Office)
1902 - 1921 James Haldane Stewart Lockhart 1858 - 1937
1921 - 1923 Arthur Powlett Blunt 1883 - 1946
1923 - 1927 Walter Russell Brown 1879 - 1966
1927 - 1930 Reginald Fleming Johnston 1874 - 1938
CHINESE WEIHAIWEI ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
In 1930 Weihaiwei was returned to China. Like present day Hongkong and Macao it
continued however to have a separate administration, directly subordinated to the
central government.
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Commissioners
1930 - 1933 Hsü Tsu-Shan "T.S. Chu" 1890 -
1934 - 1936 Hsu Tung-fan 1887 - 1949
1936 - 1938 Sun Hsi-feng "Georges Sun" 1892 - 1961
1938 LtCol. Cheng Wei-p'ing* 1898 - 1953
In 1938 Weihaiwei was occupied by Japanese forces.
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