Ft San Domingo - Part 2

[Above: the British Consulate building in Tamsui/Danshui]

The handover of Ft San Domingo and the British Consulate building to Taiwan authorities occurred on June 30, 1980. In this letter sent to its Hongkong office [cc'd to PSA - Property Services Agency] on Nov 10, 1980, the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) was concerned about a few loose ends: (1) one set of keys still in the possession of the AIT (AIT had acted as the agent for British affairs since 1972); (2) the compensation for the remaining consulate staff, i.e., two watchmen and one caretaker; and most importantly, (3) the whereabouts of records of the Foreigners' Cemetery in Tamsui as well as some old Victorian files. The AIT, however, indicated that they had only kept admin records relative to the staff payment.

For those of us who have been looking for Lt Fontaine's head, these records would have provided crucial information. This paper trail appears to have run cold at this point; although a 1983 correspondence seems to suggest otherwise [to be posted in Part 3].

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