NFIDENTIAL.
Hongkong.
C.01
45.89.
Rego 8 Feb. 1908
My Lord,
34
Government House,
Hongkong, 8th. January, 1908.
Though the question of the
Registration of Steam Vessels plying in the Inland Waters
of China is one which does not primarily concern Your
Lordship's Department of State, it is not entirely un-
-connected with the interests of this Colony, and is
associated with the question of Piracy in Canton Waters.
It has therefore seemed to me that Your Lordship may
desire to have in brief form the gist of the matter at
issue.
2.
Every steam-vessel (with certain
exceptions (Merchant Shipping Act, Section 3) which are
further extended by local Ordinance) which is British
owned (and the term includes vessels owned by Chinese
Companies registered in Hongkong even though the owners
are not British subjects, as well as all vessels owned by
British subjects of whatever race) is bound (under the
RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE EARL OF ELGIN, K.G.,
Merchant
80.1
80.,
&C