Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 24th November, 1899.
Sir,
I am directed by the Governor to transmit to you the enclosed copy of a special Police Report relating to a robbery in Chinese Waters committed on a steam-launch licensed in Hongkong, and to request you to be good enough to point out to the Viceroy that these piracies obviously could not take place without the collusion of the persons responsible for the good conduct of the place from which the boats came off to remove the pirates, and that there should be no difficulty in compelling restitution by the town or village concerned, as all the places are under the guns of armed vessels on the river.
To
H.B.M.'s Consul,
Canton.
I have &c.,
(sd.) J. H. Stewart-Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary.