C
VAK I
TO JUL 25.8
Ant yw of 60231919
** fix
71
def alege and get
interview yeaterday for an authoritative statement of
330
the scheme.
The Grand Secretary Na T'ung thereupon informed me
that as the Viceroy at Canton and the Revenue Gounoil
had hesitated to come to a final decision and had
referred the matter back to the Wai Wu Pu, that Board
had decided on behalf of the Chinese Government to
devote the two lakhs of taols (say £32,000) which the
Revenue Council were prepared to provide, to the pur-
chase of four revenue oruisere. These vessels were to be
placed under Oustoms control, and their primary use
would be for the prevention of smuggling. In order to
deal with piracy, they would carry on board a military
or navel officer, as the representative of the territo-
rial authorities, whose duty it would be to capture
1
pirates whenever found.
I asked His Excellency if he was prepared to embody
this statement in a Note, and he expressed himself quite
willing to do so, but suggested that it would have nors
practical value if the Board wrote after effective
measures had been entually taken. As His Excellency
assured