Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Viceroy Tan to Consul Munsfield.
Sir,
Canton, June 3, 1899. I AM in receipt of your despatch of the 1st instant with regard to the "Wo On" piracy, stating that, shortly after the occurrence, a torpedo-boat passed at a short distance from the "Wo On," but ignored her signals; that although the gun-boat "Ko La" proceeded to the spot where the loot was landed, no one went on shore to pursue the pirates. You stated that negligence had been displayed, and requested me to order the civil and military authorities to exert themselves honestly to effect the arrests.
I have recorded a dereliction of duty against the Captains of the torpedo-boat and of the "Ko Lu," and have deprived them of their buttons, but they remain under orders to co-operate with the local civil and military authorities in effecting the arrest of the pirates and the recovery of the plunder. I have also instructed the Provincial Judge to enjoin the effecting of the arrests under pain of denouncement, if they are not made within the time allowed.
I have, &c.
899
August
Hong
Kong
No. 23151
(Subject.)
503
DOMESTIC.
C.O.
23151
RECO
REG: 30 AUG 99
Proceedings of the French at
Kurang-chou.
(Seal of Viceroy.)
(Minutes.)
Sir W. Hamilton
I send on a map, which I have endeavoured to mark the places alluded to - from a large scale map, kindly provided by the French authorities. Kuery-chou-wan is apparently a sort of passage between the East coast of the Lien Ichen peninsula, and the mouth of the Kam River on the mainland to the North. If the French do contemplate annexing the triangular piece of territory which includes Tai O (Pakhor) and an important fort on the West River, which will probably be the next...