23.
75
True no adequate reason for not leaving of to those Offices, with sanction the Chinese Government; the responsibility of always deciding in the first instance when to take action or not. Possibly those Officers may not be conscious to prompt. those Officers may have such responsibility imposed on them, but I submit it is a matter of necessity, and is as highly expedient, as I believe it inexpedient, judging from the past, to leave similar discretion in such matters with Junior Naval Officers.
I respectfully submit that in the attempt to retrieve the error of leaving too much to Junior Officers formerly, something like an oversight has been committed in leaving secretly discretion to Officers of any rank, including the Admirals and Commodore's rank.
20.
With a view to rendering more complete the information, which I am transmitting, I forward a report recently received from the Harbor Master's Department, showing how little care is taken by the Chinese Authorities in seeing their Regulations vide Colony observed as to carriage of Stink pots on board trading vessels.
Enclosure No. 2. Sec. br.
Enclosure No.3.