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this despatch.
10.
From these despatches Your Lordship will observe that Mr. Mansfield's suggestion to threaten the withdrawal of the friendly legislation and action of the Hongkong Government is now proposed as the next step to be taken, and in my reply to Sir Arthur Moore I have dealt fully with the reasons which cause me to deprecate such action, and have discussed alternatives.
11.
The discussion of this Piracy question has opened up a cognate matter viz: the question of Registration of Launches in Chinese Inland Waters. Sir H. de Sausmarez, Judge of His Majesty's Supreme Court at Shanghai is due to arrive here tomorrow and under instructions from His Majesty's Minister he proceeds at once to Canton to enquire into this matter. I have also today received from Sir J. Jordan a copy of his letter to Sir E. Grey No.581 of 12th December, 1907, which refers not only to the Piracy but also to this Registration question. I propose to address Your Lordship in a separate despatch on this question, but I fear that I shall be unable to do so in time to catch the outgoing mail which is due to leave immediately.
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