a
· by:
She sno, poll. SVIJET, SOUT
Have it eaï .:
.7
Notes on PIRACY and its PhEVEITION.
By the Senior Naval Officer in charge of West
River Patrola.
52
These notes refer purely to piracy in the waters between Canton, kongmun and Hongkong and the Delta in between; the question of sea-going trade on the China coast is not touched upon.
(1)
The only permanent cure for piracy in these waters is un effi clent local Goverment determined to put down orime and having the necessary resources in men and money to keep up a river The goodwill patrol and a trained body of pollge and detectives.
whether of the local gentry and village heademen is also necessary, it is obtained spontaneously or by fear of consequences.
(2)
During the last nine monthe conditions in Lwangtung Proving have been chaotic and there has been no law or order throughout In March last convoreations were opened the country districta.
with the Chinese officials with a view to getting their agreement to the British Blaval forces co-operating with their appointed
After a good deal of patience representative against the pirates.
It we
and negotiation Dr.Sun's Government agreed to co-operation. obvious from the start that the Chinese officials ware suspicious of our motives and there was and is a strong party against co-
However after various delays a operation with a foreign power.
start was made and the Pearl River area was dealt with and
The intention was then to considered alear by the end of April.
carry on and deal with each troublesome area in turn, but every sort of obstacle began to arise and the Canton situation dominated the whole question. The British Naval Forces were practically tied hand and foot to Canton and the defence of the great intereste
there.
Starting with the Shameen borb outrage and progressing through the Shameen strike to the Volunteer Arms question, which
11.
concluded