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both to British interests and prestige, and to British
trade. British and Chinese launches have been "held up"
even between Canton and Whampoa on three occasions since
I have been here by gangs of twelve or fourteen men all armed
with revolvers. Gangs of desperadoes loaf about the streets
of Canton and frequently when they see a chance, as happened
not long ago on the premises of a British firm, rush in,
terrorize the employees by presenting revolvers at their
heads, and then get clear off through the crowded streets
in broad daylight, with their booty, in the above case
consisting of $600.
Many complaints have reached me of Chinese
merchants under contract to British firms being unable
to carry out their engagements owing to the fact that they
could not send money up country and bring goods down. Even
after their statements are discounted, and they need a good
deal of discounting, the fact remains that the lawless
and armed state of the people is so notorious that such
statements were held likely to be listened to.
The state of affairs on the West and North
Rivers has lately been the occasion of representations
from the Colonial Government to the Viceroy through this
Consulate