COPY.
Canton, 17th December, 1898.
253
In reply to your letter of the 15th inst., with regard to the piracy on the Hong Kong licensed junk No.5669, I have the honour to state that I have made a strong representation to the Viceroy on the subject.
Some weeks ago, on the occasion of the piracy committed near Kong Mun on a launch flying the British flag, I sent a report to Her Majesty's Minister on the enormous increase of late in piracies and robberies on the waterways of the Two Kuang, and have received his reply that the Yamen have directed the Viceroy to take stringent repressive measures.
I have now made a suggestion to the Viceroy that he should utilise some of the obsolete torpedo boats, now lying at Whampoa, as patrol boats, and also that he should appoint a competent Foreigner to have control of them.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary,
HONG KONG
I have &c.
(Signed.) R.W.Mansfield,
Consul.
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