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and in this there must be no delay. As for the criminals already handed over to you from the Mixed Court, of whom there are a number, you are to report upon the proceedings and decisions in these various cases up to date, the reason why you have treated them with levity and delayed for months dealing with them, and, within ten days from now, to hear and decide upon them in the severest terms of the law and duly make report.
If you show any further laxity I shall, without fail or favour, denounce you to the higher authorities.
(Translation.) Sir,
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Tuotai at Shanghae to Consul-General Sir P. Warren.
March 22, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 16th instant, in which you refer to measures for prohibiting the clandestine importation of arms (précis of latter part of Sir Pelham Warren's despatch of the 16th instant to Taotai).
I have already on several occasions deliberated with the Commissioner of Customs on the subject of prohibition of contraband importation of munitions of war, and orders have been given to the customs examiners to make thorough search of all steamers arriving here; but shops dealing in Canton goods in the Settlement often have revolvers, swords, &c., for sale, and there is nothing to prevent these from coming into the hands of bad characters. It is my duty to request you to instruct the police to make search regularly and put a stop to such sales in the interests of the public safety, and in order to remove a latent source of danger.
I have therefore the honour to send you this urgent reply to your communication and to ask that you may be good enough to give effect to the above measure.
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Bye-law shall be liable for every offence to a fine not exceeding 100 dollars, and a further fine for every twenty-four hours' continuance of such offending or infringing not exceeding 25 dollars.
Mr. Keswick.-The special Resolution which we ask you to pass to-day, which has been printed and you have all got, gives the special things we want to license in italics, and the particular reason we want you to pass this Resolution is for dealing as far as possible with the sale of fire-arms in the Settlement. You have all fresh in your minds what has occurred in the Settlement lately through Chinese carrying fire- arms, and you are aware of the armed robberies which have taken place. We want to check the sale of fire-arms to improper persons, and it is for that reason we ask you to pass this Resolution.
Mr. H. de Gray.--I beg to second.
The Chairman declared the Resolution unanimously carried.
I have, &c.
(Seal of Taotai.)
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Extract from the "North China Daily News" of March 22, 1907.
Resolution of Ratepayers respecting Sale of Arms,
Resolution 111-That the proposed amendment of Bye-law XXXIV, as published in the "North China Daily News" of the 7th March, 1907, be passed and approved.
The Bye-law as amended reads as follows :-
Licences. No person shall open or keep a fair, market-house, or place of public entertainment, native club, music-hall, theatre, circus, billiard, bowling or dancing saloon, brothel, or pawnshop, dairy, laundry, or bakery, shop, store, stall, or place for the sale or manufacture of fire-arms, wines, spirits, beer, beverages, intoxicating or other drugs, ice, lottery tickets or chances in lotteries, clothing, butcher's meat, poultry, game, fish, fruit, vegetables, or food-stuffs, slaughter-house, livery stable, or pen for cattle, pigs, sheep, or goats, or sell or vend any fire-arms, wines, spirits, beer, beverages, intoxicating or other drugs, ice, lottery tickets or chances in lotteries, butcher's meat, poultry, game, fish, fruit, vegetables, or food-stuffs, or keep for private use or ply, let, or use for hire any boat, horse, pony, mule, or donkey, or vend or keep any dog within such limits without a licence first obtained from the Council, and, in the case of foreigners, countersigned by the Consul of the nationality to which such person belongs. In respect of such licences, the Council may impose such conditions and exact such security as the nature of the particular case may require, and charge such fees in respect thereof as may be authorized at Annual General Meeting of Ratepayers. And any person offending against or infringing the provisions of this
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