324 employed to suppress piracy. The British Government of Canton maintains that the Chinese Regulations already provide for this, and the Board of Admiralty observe that if any pressure on the part of Foreign Powers could procure practical operation of they would at once concur in the proposal of your Excellency's Government for urging their adoption by the Chinese, but in the present state of the Empire there is too much reason to believe that although the representation of the Foreign Powers might be acceded to, nothing further would be done.
With regard to the proposed disarmament of all junks either wholly or with respect to heavy guns only, the Lords of the Admiralty have expressed their opinion that the concession now made by Prince Kung to the disarming of Fishing Boats and the prohibition of "Tink pots" should be regarded as sufficient for the present, and that no further demands should for the time be made on the Chinese Government.
On a former occasion, the Admiralty had expressed their conviction that such general disarmament, including as it would do the bona fide trading junks, would...
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