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proceeding up-river has, I have the honour to suggest, established a precedent, and had a large moral effect on these launches.
(Signed) C. WALCOTT,
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Lieutenant and Commander.
Remarks on Piracy from His Majesty's Ship" Moorhen," dated December 1, 1906.
THE season is now approaching when one may expect a recurrence of piracy, but up to the present I have not noticed any appreciable increase or decrease, and the state of the river seems much as usual.
There is, though, considerable activity shown by the Chinese gun-boats, torpedo- boats, and armed launches, who are frequently patrolling the river instead of lying at anchor as they used to.
The extraordinary reticence, perhaps through fear, shown by the Chinese in not promptly reporting a case of piracy makes it so difficult to help people who won't help themselves.
The frequent examination of the papers of British vessels by our gun-boats will have, I hope, a good moral effect, and will probably bring to light other cases similar to the "Fei Nam," which is now struck off the British list.
As for the larger steamers, the lesson learnt by the "Sai Nam case has not been forgotten, and they are well able to take care of themselves.
(Signed) R. VAUGHAN,
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Lieutenant and Commander,
Remarks on Piracy from His Majesty's Ship Sandpiper."
I WOULD suggest that the telegraph, which runs along the banks of the West River, should be connected to the various guard-boat stations, which could call up the patrolling gun-boats and launches.
The present telegraph stations in small places like Chiong Kong, Fong Chuen, Yuet Shing, &c., should have an operator always handy, so that if necessary any guard-boat station could be warned to stop a launch. The various villages must know, if particular launches do not call to pick up or discharge passengers, that there must be something wrong on board. In two cases of piracies that occurred at Wuchow, had Fong Chuen been able to receive a wire at 8 P.M., the pirates could have been attacked by either a guard-boat or a Chinese gun-boat stationed there. As the tele- graph lines belong to the Government, this idea should not be an expensive one,
(Signed) H. ATLAY,
Lieutenant and Commander.
I have the honour to report the following, which will point out the conditions mentioned above:--
On the 28th October the Chinese launch "Tai Yik" was attacked and taken by pirates near Fong Chuen, some 12 miles below Wu Chow. After capture, and whilst in charge of pirates, the Chinese launch "Wing Ying" was attacked.
The "Wing Ying," however, beat off the "Tai Yik," and succeeded in killing one pirate.
The captain of the "Wing Ying" has since received a letter from the pirates demanding immediate compensation. In consequence of this "tar tau," or black- mail, the Wing Ying" has ceased to run, and was lying idle at Samshui on the 24th November. I understand that the captain has been paid their claim.
I have found it impossible to obtain facts of piracies from outside sources, so afraid are the Chinese of these "tar taus."
The system of chartering British launches to Chinese is under revision. The evidence brought forward in the "Fei Nam" inquiry showed practically no super- vision of these launches.
It appears most necessary that all British launches that carry passengers should be efficiently protected from attack and the co-operation of these launches most strenuously insisted
upon.
The uselessness of the protection afforded by the guard-boats was demonstrated also at the "Fei Nam" inquiry, she having been captured by a large sampan full of armed men, who fired indiscriminately before boarding the launch being within hail of the gun-boat.
His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General has reported the matter to the Viceroy. Fong Chuen, where two piracies took place on the 28th and 29th October, has been the location of many previous piracies, and no steps have been taken to remedy this evil town, that is so well known on the West River as the resort of pirates, &c.
Until strenuous efforts are made by the Chinese authorities--both on shore and afloat-foreign gun-boats can only exercise a moral effect in their immediate proximity and insist on the co-operation of the own launches, and the present number of piracies will increase or decrease with the conditions of trade and harvest.
The rice crop on the delta has been fairly good, and there seems to be plenty of trade and traffic on the river below Samshui.
I have, &c. (Signed)
C. WALCOTT,
Lieutenant and Commander.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Sir,
State of the Creeks and the Delta with regard to Piracies and the Safety of Trade, &c.,
"Robin," at Canton, December 1, 1906.
IN accordance with the Commander-in-chief's order, I have the honour to bring to your notice the following remarks with regard to the above :-
It is impossible, under present conditions, to obtain accurate information with regard to piracies except those on those larger launches that are under the immediate control of an English captain.
The attempted piracy on the "Chan Wai," I am led to suppose, has been much exaggerated; my information was obtained, however, from Chinese sources.
Under the present conditions the smaller trading launches are practically afraid to report piracies. The British launch" Fei Nam's" piracy was only reported to the custom-house officials at Wuchow, and unless other stops had been taken would never have reached His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General.
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