Proclamation for disarmament of Junks issued by him in April last.
It now appears that, whilst admitting the bona fides of His Excellency the Governor in responding immediately by disarming Chinese Vessels in Colonial waters, the Viceroy, nevertheless, expresses his inability, from the insuperable difficulties attending its enforcement, to carry out the terms of his Proclamation,
and intimates his intention of endeavoring to check piracy by means of registration secured by valid guarantees.
In reply, I am directed by Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell to inform you that under the circumstances he will suspend all measures for the disarmament of native Vessels in these waters. I have, at the same time, to express His Excellency's regret that when the Viceroy had once undertaken to carry out a system, he should have been deterred from proceeding only by difficulties which from the commencement he must have foreseen, and which might have been terminated by a greater amount of determination.