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Chinese Government.
This Department have also conveyed to the Admiralty a further suggestion from the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce that the officers commanding His Majesty's gunboats in the West River should be instructed to report periodically on the state of security of traffic on the waterways in the neighbourhood of Canton, and from time to time to suggest such improvements as may appear to them desirable in the plans devised for keeping piracy in check.
I am to suggest that the steps which are being taken by this Department in this matter may be communicated to Sir M. Nathan, and that His Excellency should at the same time be informed that his proposal for entrusting methods for the prevention of piracy to the Imperial Maritime Customs will be referred to His Majesty's Representative at Peking.
The original enclosures in your letter are returned herewith.
I am,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant,
The Empire &