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Subjects had not lost sight of the ... in China, might know that I ... Ove Or ... the other ... and that. I had not been inactive in remonstrating with the Commissioner, and in repeatedly bringing those subjects to his especial notice.
There is reason to suppose that the notorious Shap-ng-tsai is at present to the southward of this island, in the neighbourhood of Hainan. On the 8th instant, the Admiral despatched the "Columbine", "Fury" and "Phlegethon" in search of this freebooter, but these vessels have not returned. As soon as their operations are made known to me, I shall not fail to communicate the same to Your Lordship.
It will be observed by Your Lordship that in one of my communications to the Chinese Commissioners, I have not hesitated to tell him that as he did not see fit to cooperate with us in the suppression of Piracy in these seas, I had "determined to take steps for the despatch of vessels to scour the seas in all directions." Ye, &c.
In his reply the Commissioner expresses his satisfaction at the success of Her Britannic Majesty's vessels, but does not in any way allude to rendering assistance or affording us any coöperation.
In fact, I am satisfied that the Chinese Government is altogether unable to cope with the Pirates, and the Commissioners, seeing that he cannot defeat them, will, no doubt, have recourse to the ordinary Chinese mode of bribing them into submission, by making a compromise with their Chief, who will be bought off with the gift of some honorary distinction, and probably be taken into the service of the state, to be employed eventually in the destruction of ...