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river in which the attacks have been most frequent. I have described in a former despatch the usual mode of procedure, where the robbers go on board the steamers as passengers and at a given moment overpower the crew by the show of revolvers and knives. In the case of the piracy in question, when the junk had been captured the launch was taken to a town on the right bank of the river, where three boats put off, removed the plunder to the shore, and sent the launch on her way.
closure. 13th Nov. 1899.
3. There is another system of piracy, or blackmail, practised, of which the detention of the salt junks mentioned in Mr. Fox's report to Commodore Powell, a copy of which I have the honour to enclose, is an instance. On the 17th instant, a steam launch, towing fifteen or sixteen junks down the river, was stopped near the town of Tosing, the pirates inquired as to the destination of the junks, one or two of which were for Hong Kong, the remainder laden with cattle for Canton, which had been sent from the province of Kwang Si, above Muchow. The launch was ordered to cast off the cattle junks and proceed with those destined for Hong Kong. The cattle junks were taken to the river bank and tied up, either