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belonging to the guard houses above and below, and likewise at night. Should an alarm arise, the guard houses above and below will send soldiers to the rescue, and those who fail to arrive will be dismissed and punished. The commanders of the right and left battalions are ordered to make inspection from time to time. The General Officer will also be constantly making a personal inspection, and thus it is to be hoped that the pirates will
find no opportunities for outrage. Similar measures can be taken within the jurisdiction of General Sun on the upper River. As regards Helen Chiao, Kim Chuk Tan, and the water ways to the East and South near Canton, Colonel Ping, the officer in charge of the patrol launches has directed their captains to divide these localities into beats, which should hereafter lead to some really good result. As regards places on the West and North Rivers above Shamshui and inaccessible to steamers, these
will have to be patrolled by the guard boats and regulations will be drawn up with the object of making a clean sweep of accumulated abuses and checking piracy. It will really not be necessary to send an officer to consult with the British Naval Authorities.
As it is impracticable for the merchant vessels to sail in fleets, it is not necessary to raise that question.
Where piracies have occurred, there has always in the first instance been treachery on the launches, otherwise it would be impossible for the pirates to get near. Unless the launch captains carefully search their passengers for arms, and take secret measures against collusion with the pirates on the part of their engineers and pilots there is no hope of putting a stop to piracy.
I have done.
(Seal of Viceroy.)