Copy no 157.
"Salamis" at Shanghai
April 29, 1869.
Sir,
With reference to my letter of the 22nd March (22nd 121) forwarding the copy of a despatch I had addressed to H.B.M's Minister presenting the necessity of defining the share of work to be executed by British and Chinese Cruisers towards the suppression of Piracy,
I have the honor to enclose Sir R. Alcock's reply, which is not very sanguine as to an effective cooperation until the Chinese fleet is better organised and exclusively commanded by European officers. But as this state of things is not far distant, and efficient cooperation having been rendered by these gunboats under European Commanders on several occasions,
The Secretary of the Admiralty is of opinion