نگاهی به تاریخی
589
Consulate and needs no comment, from me. It is impossible
that this lawless and armed state of the people should
not in many ways, which it may be difficult to point out
but, which are none the less real, obstruct, and injure
British Trade, nor, in my opinion, can there be any doubt,
that the present deplorable state of affairs has in the
past, been largely induced, and unless the most stringent
action possible is taken by the Colonial Government, will
in a large measure in the future be perpetuated by the
facility with which arms and ammunition are procurable in
Hongkong. It would seem to me that no precautions the
Government can take can possibly interfere with the legitimate trade in arms. Large respectable firms engaged in
so profitable a business will be willing to comply with
stringent regulations and can afford to pay a heavy license
fee, which it is to be hoped will prove impossible in the
sale of the small disreputable shop whose main source
of profit consists, not in the fulfilling of open contracts
with the Provincial Authorities or with communities who
have received official sanction to import arms, but in
the sale of arms and ammunition in small lots to unauthorised persons, either to be smuggled into China in foreign steamers'