Endlosure to A. L. M. 12952 of 20/10/99 to Colonial Office-
No.650.
98
w.C.
28749
RECO
&
(MEGE 21 OCT 39
"Centurion" at Yokohama.
31st August, 1899.
Sir,
I have the honour to request you will inform the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that on receipt of their telegram No.65 of the 19th inst.: directions were at once given for H.M.S."Tweed" to be sent to the West River to assist the "Sand-piper" in the patrol of the waters between Wuchau and Canton.
I had already given orders for the "Tweed" to be taken from the Reserve, and to be manned by Officers and men from the "Humber" (as the latter ship is unserviceable until she has new boilers, probably February next), intending her to temporarily relieve the *Sandpiper*, which would have come out into more open waters to refresh her crew for their health's sake, as they have now been since February in the West and North Rivers, but in view of their Lordships' telegram, I have decided to keep both vessels in the River for the present.
2. The Commodore at Hong Kong has also been informed that if the Consul at Canton considers further force required, he is to man one of the Torpedo boats in Reserve and send her as Tender to the "Tweed".
3. R.M.Chargé d'Affaires at Peking concurs in this arrangement.
4. The only case of Piracy (as properly so called by the most authoritative definitions) that has come to my knowledge occurred on 10th December last, when a Hong Kong licensed junk was attacked by two unlicensed junks off Pinghoi, about 50 miles North East of Hong Kong, and ransacked of all valuables. Five lives were lost by the junk attacked.
Petary of the Admiralty, S.W.
5.