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these protracted negotiations. The Viceroy, referring to my proposal that the customs should be authorized to find the necessary funds for the purchase of more launches to suppress piracy and search passengers, pronounces the scheme to be quite feasible, but stipulates that the duty and authority of the Customs in dealing with the question should be clearly defined.
His Excellency promises to prepare a suitable scheme, which he will submit to the Wai-wu Pu for the consideration of Sir R. Hart, who will, after due deliberation," instruct the Commissioner of Customs at Canton to communicate with His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General,
I have communicated a paraphrase of this telegram to the Inspector-General, with whom the future of the question now appears largely to rest.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
P.S.—I am forwarding copies of this despatch confidentially to the Admiral and to the Governor of Hong Kong.
J. N. J.
(No. 9.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan,
Canton, January 25, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to report on the negotiations now in progress relative to the adoption of effective measures aiming at the suppression of piracy on the inland
waters.
I inclose copies and translations of the following correspondence :-
1. Despatch to Admiral Li Chun, dated the 5th January, 1907.
2. Despatch from Admiral Li Chun, 15th January, 1907.
3. Despatch to Admiral Li Chun, 21st January, 1907.
4. Despatch to Viceroy of the last-mentioned date.
I first broached the subject personally to his Excellency the Viceroy on the 27th ultimo, having previously sent him a Memorandum based on the instructions contained and views expressed in your Confidential despatches Nos. 25 and 26 of the 16th and 26th November, 1906. His Excellency then, as reported to you in my telegram No. 32 of the following day, stated that there was no precedent for removing the patrol of the river from the Admiral's control to that of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and that he had no power to do so. He agreed, however, that if the Admiral should raise no objection to the employment of Customs foreign nominees in the patrol launches, he would not dissent.
You will observe that the Admiral, in his despatch to me of the 15th instant (Inclosure 2), states that the Viceroy, at a personal interview with him, denies having made the above admission. I therefore considered it expedient to address to his Excellency the despatch dated the 21st instant (Inclosure 4).
I have now the honour to state that, subsequent to the " Sainam" piracy, and previous to the receipt of your Confidential despatches to which reference has already been made, a provisional and tentative scheme, having as its object the suppression of the frequent piracies in these waters, was discussed by the former Viceroy Ts‘en, Admiral Li, the Commissioner of Customs, and myself. The broad basis thereof was that the number of calling stations in the inland waters, while of sufficient number to meet the requirements of trade, should be limited; that passenger depôts should be established at each of those places; that passengers and their baggage should be examined for arms at these depôts previous to embarkation; that passengers should be conveyed from the depôts to the launches only in licensed sampans; and that no passengers should be embarked at any places other than those with depôts attached, two soldiers being deputed to each launch to see that the above conditions were carried out.
On first learning from you of the views of His Majesty's Government that a competent system of water police in armed launches officered by and under the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs would afford the best guarantee against the
repeated piracies in these waters, it seemed to me that the establishment of the depôts at the various calling stations would materially facilitate the work of the civil and military authorities on shore. Further consideration, however, led me to the conclusion that their institution would involve the Provincial Government in a very (heavy expenditure; while my long experience of the Chinese convinced me that, however well organized at first, their efficiency would not endure for any long period of time. I accordingly suggested to the Admiral the plan of establishing in the more pirate-infested districts military bureaux, with an adequate force attached to each, to co-operate with the patrolling launches under the Imperial Maritime Customs.
The Admiral, in his reply (Inclosure 2), ignores this suggestion, and puts forward the alternative proposal of stationing five to six guards on each passenger launch to perform en route the work of searching them and their baggage for arms. He then goes on to say that the protection of the waterways is his special duty, and that fourteen new launches have been ordered with the twofold object of suppressing piracy and protecting trade. The number of these launches vide my telegram of the 23rd) is now increased to seventeen. My last communication with the local authorities was the interview on the 22nd instant with the Viceroy's Secretary, the gist of which I telegraphed to you the following morning. It was with great difficulty that I extracted from him the real reason which gave rise to the opposition to the employment of foreign officers in command of the patrolling launches; but, when all other arguments having failed him, he made allusion to the present cry of "China for the Chinese," it was evident to me that fear of popular feeling would deter the Viceroy from agreeing to the scheme, except under direct orders from the Central Government.
I am, as you are aware, of the opinion that flis Majesty's Government's proposal is the only one calculated to lead to a lasting improvement, and would venture to suggest that the Imperial Decree to which you refer in your despatch No. 26 might also be made to direct that the patrolling of the waterways shall be placed under Imperial Maritime Customs control.
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
P.S.-(Confidential.) I am in frequent communication with the Commissioner of Customs, whose views coincide with mine, Mr. Mayers is fully conversant with local requirements and conditions, and it is a matter for great regret that, at this juncture, he should be leaving shortly on home furlough.
Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Admiral Li Chun,
R. W. M.
Canton, January 5, 1907. AT a recent interview with the Viceroy, at which I discussed the question of the suppression of piracy in these waters, his Excellency informed me that the matter was one coming within your province, but that he would raise no objection to the appointment of European officers of the Imperial Maritime Customs to command the patrolling launches, provided that you were not opposed to their employment.
Subsequently you handed me a set of proposed Regulations for the inland waters which contemplated the establishment of guards upon trading launches. I have carefully considered these Regulations, and find that British steam-launch owners have no confidence in the ability of these guards to carry out on board the work of examining and searching passengers and baggage. I think, however, that if you will agree to intrust the command of the patrolling launches to foreign officers of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and will establish at certain points in the more pirate- infested districts along the waterways military bureaux, with an efficient force attached to each to co-operate with the patrolling launches, the passenger depôts which were previously suggested may no longer be necessary. In any case, I should be willing to dispense with the establishment of these depôts until such time as the effect of the patrol has been ascertained. The responsibility for the suppression of piracy seems now to have been thrown entirely on you. The subject has been thoroughly discussed by the Wai-wu Pu and my Minister, and I understand that neither the former nor the Viceroy raise any objection to the employment of foreigners
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