Enclosure to M.13965 to Colonial Office.
284
Copy.
No.42/167.
Sir,
"Minotaur" at Hong Kong,
12th April 1913.7253
21 MAY 3
I have the honour to forward herewith for the
information of their Lordships a copy of a letter I have
sent to H.E. the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of
the arrangements for the patrol of the Test, River, for
the suppression of piracy, and of his reply to the same.
My letter was sent in response to his request
that I would furnish him with remarks on the arrangements,
in consequence of the subject being prominently brought
to notice through a case of piracy against the British
river steamer "Tai-On" on the night of 2nd April.
This vessel runs between Hong Kong and Canton,
and a few hours after she had left, Hong Kong about 50 of
the Cinese passengers suddenly produced revolvers and seized and plundered the steamer, subsequently running
her aground and escaping in Chinese territory.
As everything had been so quiet, on the River for some time I had, with the Commodore's concurrence,
decided shortly to redude the torpedo boat patrol, but I
do not now consider the present a favourable time for
doing so.
The Secretary of the
Admiralty.
I have,
ato...
Sd.- T.H.M.Jerram,
Vico-Admiral.