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rendition of criminals to the Chinese Authorities, I think it advisable to draw Your Lordship's attention to the apparent misconception under which His Grace labored as to the views and action of this Government in dealing with Piracy.
12. I infer such misconception from His Grace thinking it necessary to inform me that Pirates captured by British ships and brought to Hongkong should not be surrendered, but be tried by Hongkong Courts and under English Laws. I presume therefore inferentially that this information has been given to me because His Grace supposed that such Pirates when brought to Hong Kong were sometimes dealt with otherwise than in accordance with the above instruction, whereas they have never been so dealt with by this Government.
13. Lest however I might be mistaken on that point I referred the Law Officers' despatch to the Attorney General and now enclose that Officer's Memo: thereon, showing that his recollection entirely accords with my own and that Pirates brought to Hongkong had within his memory ever been handed over to the Chinese Authorities.
14. I believe that none of the obligations devolving on the Executive here, at least since my arrival, have been more studiously attended to than those involved in the