6. Times of Arrival and Departure of Trading Launches.
At all 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 each month make out a list showing times and places of departure, time of arrival at and place where he lands his cargo; also the times and places at which he takes on board or lands passengers or goods en route. These lists shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Customs, who will amalgamate them and issue them to the commanders of patrolling launches on the various sections of the waterways. The possession of these particulars will enable them to give trade better protection. If a vessel does not run every day, 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. Routes 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 route must be followed, so that the gun-boats may find it easier to give protection. However, in case, 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 a different direction, will incur the penalty of a fine.
And in the event of a launch deviating from the appointed route, thereby rendering it impossible for the gun-boats to protect it, sole responsibility shall, if she be pirated, attach to the master of the said launch, who alone shall be liable to pay compensation for the losses sustained.
8. Examination of Launches en route.
At some point in the middle of the journey, pirates 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 and 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 Corps to search suspicious passengers. These guards will, as provided by the regulations, be paid and found in food by the owner of the launch.
10. Rigorous Search of Passengers for concealed Arms.
Piracies are for the most part 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 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 place-of-call stations and the three Canton River stations will note down 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.
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
Memorandum by the Commissioner of Customs.
I HAVE carefully perused the Ton Regulations for the better policing of the West River handed me by Taotai Wen, and after consultation with General Ch'in, Minister Wei (Han), and Taotai Wen now venture to make the following suggestions regarding them:
1. The proposal to add four fast shallow-draft cruisers of a minimum speed of 12 English miles an hour is an excellent one. These fast cruisers should be employed in patrolling the waterways, each being in charge of a deputy entitled "West River Patrol Officer." These patrol officers and the cruisers patrolling the waterways should have the duty of seeing whether the patrol launches and stationary gun-boats of the various sections for the protection of passenger and goods landing stages are energetic or not.
2. The original nineteen launches must still patrol the river, and the commercial West River must also be divided into sections. As regards the West River and the various passenger and goods landing stages, detailed maps should be made, while the nineteen launches should be directed to carry on the patrol by sections, night and day.
3. This proposal is an excellent one. As, however, the four cruisers will be in constant use, at least two additional fast cruisers of the same kind should be held in reserve. In this way, in the event of one of the four fast cruisers being temporarily off duty and in dock for repairs, its place on the patrol will be able to be taken by those in reserve.
The "West River Patrol Officers" on board each cruiser should be appointed specially for such duties, and should keep a log in which are entered in detail the ship's movements, daily transactions, and the number of trading launches inspected.
4. This is an excellent proposal, and may be adopted.
5. I have made a list of all landing places called at by trading launches and passenger boats, and have made a map showing their different positions. If the stationary gun-boats, patrol launches, and fast cruisers obtain control along the waterways, and are efficient, there will be no need to limit the embarcation of passengers on steam-launches to certain places. In the Inland Water Regulations, no such limit is specified. Absolute and complete independence is necessary for the shipping world, in order to insure a profit. Moreover, steam communication is of the greatest advantage and convenience for the Chinese people, so that there would appear to be some injustice if certain places were alone selected as places of embarcation.
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