However, with the Ching Dynasty already on its last legs, lacking appropriations from the court, and harassed by the British, the officials soon abandoned the city and left.
但不久後，城寨就沒有清朝官員坐鎮了，原因是當時城內居民有限，稅收不夠維持開支，清廷也無法撥款；而城寨又孤懸一隅，英軍常來騷擾，在半脅迫的情況下，怕事的駐地官員棄城而去。當時清朝已是強弩之末，內憂外患，應接不暇；對區區九龍城寨，又怎有力顧及？