40647
Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Goverment.] 4
TRECE 1Rec 19 NOV 07
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[35713]
No. 1.
Foreign Office to Admiralty.
[October 31.]
SECTION 1,
1
(Confidential.)
Sir,
Foreign Office, October 31, 1907. I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to refer to the communication from the Commander-in-chief on the China Station inclosed in your letter of the 3rd instant, relative to the insecurity of the waterways in the Canton Delta and on the West River. Sir Arthur Moore there stated that no cases of piracy affecting British interests had occurred for six months before the 15th May last; and that, in view of the efforts which were being made by the Chinese authorities to deal with the situation, he did not consider it politic or opportune to put further pressure upon them.
The situation appears to have changed materially since Admiral Moore wrote. The Chinese authorities appear to have taken no effective steps in the matter, since, as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will see from the telegrams from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, of which copies are inclosed, no less than three cases of piratical attacks on British launches have occurred within the last ten days.
The Viceroy at Canton bas, moreover, refused even to consider the question of compensation in the "Sainam" and "Kaicheng" cases, previously reported.
I am to state that, in Sir E. Grey's opinion, the time has come when the Commander-in-chief should consider whether some decisive action cannot be taken in order to convince the provincial Government that His Majesty's Government will no longer tolerate the present condition of affairs.
I am therefore to request that Sir A. Moore may be communicated with, and instructed to report by telegraph what action he would propose.
In this connection, and in view of the Admiral's statement that the present shallow draught gun-boats in the West River are unsuitable for policing and for the pursuit of pirates, I am to inquire whether there are no vessels laid up at Hong Kong which might be put into commission temporarily for the purpose required.
It has occurred to Sir E. Grey as a possible method of procedure that, should sufficient evidence be forthcoming that the pirates have their home in any particular village in the near neighbourhood of the river, the village might be called upon to surrender the culprits, and in the event of refusal or evasion, might be destroyed by His Majesty's forces.
A copy of a telegram which has been addressed to Sir John Jordan on the subject of these outrages is also inclosed.†
I am, &c.
(Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.
* Sir J. Jordan, No. 180 (Telegraphic), October 18; ditto, No. 181 (Telegraphic), October 25; ditto,
No. 182 (Telegraphic), October 28, 1907.
↑ To Sir J. Jordan, No. 112 (Telegraphic), October 30, 1907.
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