CO P.Y.
Translation,
From Viceroy Tan.
10th December, 1899.
222
Sir,
I am in receipt of your despatch of the 5th instant embodying a communication from the Governor of Hongkong stating that further robberies of cattle intended for Hongkong have taken place on the West and North Rivers; that the prevalence of piracy on the West River was seriously injuring the trade between Hongkong and the two Kwangs; that it may not be convenient to send a large force to suppress piracy, but that even a gunboat acting in conjunction with the Officer Commanding Her Majesty's ship on the West River would demonstrate that any action taken by Her Majesty's ships was in accordance with the wishes of the Chinese Government.
In reply I have the honour to state that the movements of the robbers on the West River are uncertain, and that they decamp when they see the soldiers coming. Most of the piracies take place in the creeks where the water is shallow and large gunboats are useless. Some time ago, I ordered the despatch