591
barriers, the foreign officers of the Customs can spect
thom and send them for adjudiostion to the Chinane
Authoritios:as to the patrolling or the waterways, this la
a matter to be dealt with by spasisl officers, --thus esch
will have his own proper duties and must not encroach upon
the province of the other. I havo navar heard of any
regulations under which the Imperial or Provincial Govem-
mont have employed foreign offieers in the capacity of a
matrol guard;how sould I venture then to agree to this
proposal? Besides, foreign officers have knowledge neither
of the Cantonese dialect nor of local conditions;if the
command of the launches varo entrusted to then there would
be andlers difficulties.
As things now stand, in all cases of parsoy of single
launches the pirates oone aboard as passengers and avait
their opportunity to strike; they do not approach from out-
side.kos ir foreign offioaro are placed in command of the
patrol, they will only be able to watch and sosech the
waterway.;hor then could they discover and secure pirasos d$a
disguised aa paceongora?I you have the tranquillity or tha
inland waters at heart, I must again ask you to consider es
the most important messure towards this and the proposition
which I have advanced,namely to statim suardz on heard the
single isunches, there to search the passengers for are. The protection of the ratarways is my special duty and now,
since the piratos bave their haurte on there, the Viceroy has also placed under my command the various lend campo along
those waterways.Recently, too, an additional purchase of
fourteen launches has been made with the twofold ohjest of
sup, rassing piracy and protecting trade.
Tho