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4. Instructions to Soldiers on Gun-boats to land and go in pursuit of Pirates.
It invariably happens that when the piracy of a trading launch occurs and the pirates are pursued by soldiers, they at once land and make good their escape. Unless, then, the soldiers on the launches land and follow them, there is no chance of effecting their capture. The number of soldiers on the new launches is considerably greater, while the old launches working in pairs will have greater numerical strength. So that, whenever pirates leave their boats and take to the shore, soldiers will at once be landed in pursuit, and will be given every assistance by troops on shore and by local militia towards capturing the pirates and their plunder. If any officers or men from any of the gun-boats fail to land and go in pursuit of pirates, or if any troops on shore fail to render them assistance in capturing the fugitives, they will render themselves liable to the severest penalties.
5. Places at which Trading Launches may Land and Embark Passengers and Cargo.
Chinese and foreign launches trading on the West River must, under Inland Waters Rules, designate the places at which they embark and land passengers and cargo. A list of such landing-places has to be previously submitted by the master of the launch to the Commissioner of Customs, who inserts them in the launch's Inland Waters papers. Masters of launches are not permitted to embark passengers and cargo as they please en route. By the arrangement now proposed, the officials controlling the policing of the West River will, in consort with the Commissioner of Customs, decide the number and position of the places on the West River waterways at which it shall be permissible to land and take on board passengers and cargo. The sampans employed by launches at these stopping stations for the transfer of passengers and goods must also hold certificates issued by the Commissioner of Customs. Any launch found landing or embarking passengers at unauthorized places en route, or using sampans not licensed by the Commissioner of Customs, will, whether Chinese or foreign-owned, have their inland papers taken from them and cancelled, and will not be allowed at any future date to resume trading on the West River. The object of this arrangement is to prevent pirates using private sampans to board launches and commit piracies, or to intercept them en route.
6. Times of Arrival and Departure of Trading Launches.
At all the places to which launches trade, and the jetties where they land and embark passengers and goods en route, there are fixed times of arrival and departure. It is therefore proposed that every master of a launch shall every month make out a list showing times and places of departure, time of arrival and place where he lands his cargo; also the times and places at which he takes on board or lands passengers and goods en route. These lists shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Customs, who will amalgamate them and issue them to the Commanders of gun-boats to be issued by them to the launches patrolling the various sections of the waterways. The possession of these particulars will enable them to give launches better protection. If a vessel does not run daily, but makes a trip, say, every other day or every few days, the master must likewise make out a time-table for the guidance of the authorities. In the event of a change in the landing-places or the addition of a new launch, the fact must be at once reported to the authorities.
7. Route which Launches are to follow.
There are a great many Chinese and foreign-owned launches running on the West River waterways. These latter are very intricate, and the routes followed are very uncertain, a circumstance which renders the task of the launches policing the river extremely difficult. It will therefore be necessary to determine what routes must be followed, so that the gun-boats may find it easier to give protection. In case, however, that, owing to the condition of the tide, a deviation from the normal route becomes necessary, a low-water route must be decided upon, so that gun-boats may be placed there to keep guard. Any trading launch which, with the object of securing passengers or cargo, purposely deviates from the regular route, or, in order to save coal, takes another direction, will incur the penalty of a fine. Any launch deviating from the appointed route, thereby rendering it impossible for the gun-boats to protect it in the event of a piracy, shall, whether Chinese or foreign-owned, attach sole responsibility to the master, who alone shall be liable to pay compensation for the losses sustained.
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8. Examination of Launches en route.
Piracies are constantly being committed by pirates in the guise of passengers. At some point in the middle of the journey, they produce fire-arms, intimidate the master of the launch, and then proceed to rifle her of everything on board. During this time, the launch is kept going as before, so that even when a gun-boat is passed, it is impossible for the latter to tell that anything is wrong. Having driven the launch to some lonely spot on the river, the pirates land with their spoils and make off, rendering pursuit and capture hopeless. To meet this difficulty, every master of a Chinese or foreign-owned launch should be instructed to pass close by any gun-boat they may meet, in order that the latter may be able to satisfy herself that everything is in order. Any launch which fails to comply with this Regulation will be at once followed by the gun-boat and ordered to stop until she has been closely inspected.
9. Establishment of Guards on Launches.
Guards have already been established on Chinese launches with tows, and Regulations have been made for their control. It is proposed that, from now onwards, Chinese and foreign merchants alike be compelled to comply with these Regulations and carry a certain number of guards of the protection of trade division to search suspicious passengers. These guards will, as provided by the Regulations, be paid and found in provisions by the owner of the launch.
10. Rigorous Search of Passengers for Concealed Arms.
Piracies are usually perpetrated by pirates travelling in the guise of passengers with arms concealed about their persons. At a given point in the journey, they produce their weapons and plunder the launch. It is therefore indispensable that there should be a systematic search for arms, if this kind of piracy is to be stopped. In the Canton district, however, before a launch has got fairly started on her trip, passengers come on board mainly from sampans and at no assigned places, rendering a complete search impossible. To meet this difficulty, it is proposed, at the most convenient and important places in the Canton River, to establish three Government examination stations at three points where the East, West, and North River water routes join the Canton River, and to compel every launch proceeding from Canton to call at one of these stations and submit to an inspection. Launches of every nationality shall be subject to a close examination by the officials in charge of these stations, and masters of launches shall render all the assistance in their power to this end, and shall offer no opposition. On the arrival of a launch at an examination station, she shall be immediately inspected in her turn by the station officials and allowed to proceed with as little delay as possible. The officials must not, without due reason, delay her departure. Any passengers found carrying arms on their persons or in their baggage, and having no permit for the same, shall be at once arrested and handed over to the authorities for punishment. As regards the places of call touched at en route, Government stations will similarly be established under the control of permanent officers to examine the persons and baggage of passengers embarking by sampan. No sampan will be permitted to embark passengers until they have been so examined. The officers of these places-of-call stations and the three Canton River stations will enter into the launch's log-book the date, hour, and name of the launch examined.
The above Regulations are provisional and subject to such additions or amendments as may hereafter be considered desirable.
Remarks by Lieutenant and Commander Vaughan, Senior Naval Officer, British West River Gun-boats, on the new proposals made by Viceroy of Canton re Patrol Service in Canton Delta.
1. The waterways are said to cover 230 miles, but to my knowledge, over 600 miles are used by launches in passenger traffic. This does not include 360 miles of river above Wuchan in the Kwang-si Province,
[2818 u-2]
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