way
be considers the only effectual way of putting down piracy on the coast of China is to induce the Government of Pekin to prohibit Chinese merchant Junks from carrying.
he says, they
This
are in the habit of
ue of
doing to a great extent; some of their carrying from 10 to 20 heavy guns; and there is
no small
difficulty in distinguishing
between the merchant trader
armed for purposes
of self defence,
and the piratical adventurer armed for purposes of destruction.
So to obviate this difficulty the French Admiral proposes that the Chinese Government should prohibit
generally
(350
generally) the carrying of guns by Junks, so that the fact of arms being found on
board such a vessel should of itself be sufficient evidence of a piratical character, and render all persons on board liable to be dealt with as pirates.
I said to the French Ambassador that it would unquestionably be of great advantage if piracy could be put down; but that it seemed to me doubtful how far foreign Powers could urge
or
expect it, to agree to a measure which in the first instance at all events, and before Piracy was utterly extinguished would deprive the maritime populations of China of all means of self defence.
Looking