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has any mention been made of the decision of the Wai-wu Pu to furnish the Commissioner of Customs here with a sum of 200,000 taels for the purchase and upkeep of two additional vessels to be placed under his independent control, as stated in the Board's Memorandum to you of the 11th November. There is a possible chance that, if Sir Arthur Moore inaugurates his increased patrol, the Provincial Government may be moved by the "loss of face," which this will involve, to be less obstructive; but they are so openly and actively hostile that I hesitate to think that, in the absence of ... I should here add that, in sheer force, any concession is to be obtained from them.
stating in my telegram No. 60 that active hostile action might have far-reaching and disastrous effects, I did not mean to include in this expression the Admiral's proposed extended patrol. Foreign-vested interests in Canton are very considerable, and there is always the possibility, should actual operations, either naval or military, be undertaken, that the populace here might be excited into attacking foreign residents and their property.
I have Lastly, there is the question of the registration of British launches, furnished Sir Arthur Moore with a copy of my despatches to you, Nos. 31 of the 18th December, 1906, and 12 of the 5th February last, and have also handed him copy of a Memorandum, copy inclosed, by Mr. Sly, together with copies of Sir Nicholas 'O'Conor's despatch No. 4 of the 3rd February, 1886, and Sir Claude MacDonald's No. 13 of the 7th September, 1898.
Admiral Moore feels very strongly on the subject of the certificate of British ownership being granted to launches which in reality are the property of Chinese. I agree with him to a great extent, but in practice the prevention of the abuse bristles with difficulties. A British subject appears with the bill of sale to himself of a launch and the price is paid in my presence. He further makes an affidavit that he is the sole owner. Whatever one's suspicious may be as to the bona fides of the transaction, it is in most cases impossible to verify them. A refusal to register based on mere suspicion would throw very serious responsibility on the Consulate, and lay it open to the charge of refusing to a British subject rights given by an International Agreement.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Inclosure 7 in No. I.
Regulations for Policing the West River.
(Translated from the Chinese text forwarded by the Viceroy of Canton.)
1. Provision of additional Fast Cruisers.
THE waterways comprised within the limits of the West River begin in the District of Feng Ch'nan and extend as far as the Canton River, covering a distance of some 230 miles. Nineteen launches have hitherto been employed to patrol the upper and lower divisions of these waterways in sections. These launches are, however, deficient in horse-power, and have shown themselves unable in many cases of piracy to overtake and capture the pirates. It is therefore proposed to provide four fast shallow-draught launches having a speed of at least 12 miles an-hour or 40 Chinese li. Two of these cruisers will be apportioned to the upper division of the West River waterways, and two to the lower. They will be constantly engaged in patrol work night and day, and, except in a special emergency when they may be wanted for military operations, they shall not be detached for any other purpose, but shall be specially commissioned for the prevention of piracy.
2. Scheme by which the Old Launches Patrolling the various Sections shall work in pairs.
Nineteen launches have hitherto been employed in the patrol of the sections of the upper and lower divisions of the waterways. The upper division begins at Feng Ch'nan and extends as far as Chao Ch'ing Ch'eng, a distance of about 100 miles. This division is at present patrolled in sections by eight launches, viz.: the "Hsi Feng," the "Hsi Ning," the "Hsi Ching," the "Hai Chien," the "Hsi Te," the "Hsi An," the "Hsi Ting," and the "Kung Chi." The lower division, from Chao Ch'ing to Chu T'ou Shan, 130 miles in extent, is policed by eleven launches, viz.: the "Kung Wu," the "Li Chi," the "Hsi Hsing," the "Hai Hai," the "Hsi Chiang," the "Hsi Ming," the "Hai Shan," the "Hsi Shun," the "Hsi Hui," the "Tai Chi," and the "Pao Chieh." Owing, however, to the small number of soldiers carried by these launches, they are unable to detach men to follow up pirates making good their escape on shore. The arrangement now proposed, therefore, is to make these gun-boats work sections in pairs, and to place them under the direction of the two new launches in whose division they are. By this system the soldiers on these gun-boats will be able to unite their strength.
3. Number of Times Sections will be Patrolled by Gun-boats.
The upper and lower divisions of the West River waterways cover distances of about 100 and 130 miles respectively. The new cruisers, having a speed of 12 miles an hour, will therefore be able to traverse their divisions twice in the day. Thus each division having two cruisers will be traversed throughout its length by these cruisers four times a day. The old launches, whose speed varies from 4 to 7 miles an hour, will also patrol their respective sections twice in the day. It follows, therefore, that, with the two new cruisers and two of the old launches, any particular section of a division will be patrolled throughout its length by each pair four times in the day, that is to say, eight times a day by the two pairs together. The regulations governing patrol launches will, as heretofore, be adhered to, and launches will enter in their log-books particulars of the point from which they started and of the place where they stopped. They will also enter the names of other patrol launches signalled by them, and of any trading launches they may pass, stating times and places. These log-books must be sent in for inspection every month as a safeguard against abuses.
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 can 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 launches 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 Water 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 patrolling of the West River will, in concert 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 pirate them, or to intercept them en route.
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