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revolvers at their hearts 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 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