This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
20037
[October 6.]
SECTION 1.
Page 16 OCT 29
No. 1.
Sir,
Admiralty to Foreign Office.-(Received October 6.)
Admiralty, October 3, 1899.
WITH reference to your letter of the 15th ultimo, respecting the prevalence of piracy in the province of Kuangtung, I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State, copy of a letter on this subject, dated the 28th July last, from the Commodore at Hong Kong, together with a copy of the remarks by the Commander-in-chief on the China Station.
The correspondence referred to in the Commodore's letter is not forwarded, as they formed the inclosures to your letter above quoted.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
EVAN MACGREGOR.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Vice-Admiral Sir E. Seymour.
SUBMITTED for information. I quite concur with the Commodore that the duty of policing the river clearly belongs to China, but it is a duty which, so far as I can learn, has never been properly carried out. A strong representation by Her Majesty's Minister at Peking to the Tsung-li Yamên to urge them to fulfil their obligations in this respect may have some effect.
2. The evil is the result of long-continued apathy (if no worse) on the part of the officials, from the Viceroy down to the local Mandarins, and may take some time to remedy, but there should be no insuperable difficulty in suppressing it, if a serious attempt is made by them to do so.
3. The "Sandpiper," which was specially commissioned for duties in the West River, has been constantly patrolling since the end of February last, and her presence, undoubtedly, has a good effect, but little can be done by her alone if the Chinese themselves do not make strenuous efforts to check piracy in their own waters. When Nanning is opened to trade, I am of opinion we should have a second vessel on the river.
The only vessel out here which could get up as far as Wuchou (except the shallow draught vessels already appropriated) is the "Tweed," now in reserve, and she could not get beyond that town.
August 11, 1899.
(Signed)
E. H. SEYMOUR.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Sir,
Commodore Powell to Vice-Admiral Sir E. Seymour.
"Tamar," at Hong Kong, July 28, 1899.
FROM the correspondence from Her Majesty's Consul at Canton, which I have the honour to forward herewith, you will see that the state of affairs on the West River and the provinces bordering thereon is becoming worse.
2. To take the policing of the river entirely into our hands, a duty that clearly belongs to China, would do a certain amount of good, but even then the blackmailing and robbery on shore would continue, and goods would either never reach the river or in such small quantities as to make it not worth the merchants' while to trouble about.
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