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II.—Letter of 25th July 1927, from His Majesty's Consul-General, Canton,
to the Secretary in Charge of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Canton.
Sir,
I have been requested by the Governor of Hong Kong to call your attention to the piracy of the Norwegian steamer Soiviken" which occurred on the 20th July, and 1 enclose a copy of a police report on the facts, so far as they can be ascertained at present. It appears that the Master, Captain R. Jentost was so seriously wounded that he has since died, while the 2nd officer and the wireless operator have also been injured by revolver shots.
While it would seem that the pirates actually boarded the ships in Hong Kong, it is clear that the coup was arranged by the Bias Bay gang, since it was to that place the pirated ship was taken and it was there the plunder was landed.
His Excellency desires me therefore to enquire of the Canton authorities if they are now prepared to accept the friendly co-operation of the Hong Kong government in combined operation which will once and for all root out this gang whose depredations are even more damaging to Chinese than to foreign interests.
As the matter is of urgent importance I shall be grateful for a reply at your earliest convenience.
I have, &c.,
(Sd.)
J. F. BRENAN,
Acting Consul-General.
III.-Letter of 29th July 1927, from Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Canton,
to His Majesty's Consul-General, Canton.
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of the 25th July in regard to the Norwegian Steamer Solviken being pirated which I passed on to the Military Authorities, to attend to. A reply has been received stating that the brigands boarded the vessel at Hong Kong, Bias Bay being used for unshipping the booty. This will be seen to be sufficient proof that the pirates have an organisation in Hong Kong.
On 28th May I wrote* requesting you to move the Governor of Hong Kong at once to abolish local pirate dens as a radical way of settling the matter, but I do not know whether or not this action has been taken.
With regard to exterminating the Bias Bay pirates this Ministry has already decided on a.plan which it is at the present moment anxious to carry out so that this matter need cause you no anxiety. It is requested that you will inform the Governor of Hong Kong of the above.
(Sd.)
WU CH'AO-SHU, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
*NOTE: The Police have investigated certain information supplied by the Canton Authorities but so far no useful discoveries have rewarded their labours.