Copy.
No: 208.
Sir,
597
British Legation,
Peking.
May 22nd, 1914.
I have the honour to forward to you here-
with copies of despatches from His Majesty's Consul General at Canton and of correspondence with the Wai
Chiao Pu relative to the piratical attack on the
Chinese owned Steamship "Tai On" flying the British
flag at the entrance of the West River on April
27th lsst.
In the middle of March the Norwegian
Steamer "Childar" was pirated under somewhat similar circumstances in Bias Bay, East of Hongkong; and,
being charged with Norwegian interests in China, I
made serious representations to the Chinese Govern-
ment on the subject. It must be admitted that in
both cases some blame seems to attach to the Masters
of these Vessels in allowing on board unlimited
passenger runners, cargo brokers, and others, and in
receiving at the last moment large numbers of
passengers in excess of the figure permitted by the Regulations. Many of these passengers, if not,
actually pirates themselves, prove to be at any rate in very close league with them.
After preparatory discussions, I took
advantage of the presence in Peking of Vice-Admiral
Sir T.H. Jerram to press the question of these
piracies