441.
405).
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BRITISH LEGATION DEC II
PEKING.
November 16th, 1911.
Sir:-
With reference to my Despatch No. 394 of the 10th
ultimo on the subject of piracy on the West River, I
have the honour to enclose copy of a further Despatch
from His Majesty's Consul at Wuchow in which he reports
the requests repeatedly made to the local and provincial
authorities for a more thoroughgoing search for the
remaining pirates implicated in the "Chit On" case and
for the recovery of the stolen property the bulk of
which is still missing.
This case discloses a state of things on the West
River which will have to be very materially remedied
before the River can be pronounced reasonably safe for
foreign commerce, but the Province of Kuangsi having
declared its independence the Imperial authority no
longer runs there and it would be useless to press this
matter further upon the Central Government in present
circumstances.
I have &c.,
(Signed) J.N. Jordan.
Right Honourable
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P.
&C., &C « ; &C.,