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In Sir E.Stubbs' view the only two effective ways of combating piracy were by destroying the pirates villages and by insist- ing that each ship should be prepared, and should recognise its obligation, to defend itself. Until the boycott occurred he had been successful in inducing local Chinese authorities to undertake expeditions against the pirate villages, and these expeditions had on several occasions been very successful; and it was with the object of ensuring that ships should be in a position to defend them-
selves that the Piracy Regulations had been
framed. The proper policy to follow was to
insist on the strict enforcement of these
regulations.
Sir E.Stubbs felt, however, that
any discussion of piracy at the present moment is purely academic. There is no piracy.
because there is no trade. When "normal"
conditions are restored the Chinese themselves
will have become so thoroughly tired of dis-
turbances that things will settle down; and in his opinion it was reasonable to hope that) piracy, at any rate on a big scale, will not
was
convinced
would
recur. He did not think, therefore, that
it would be necessary to increase or even to reinstitute the patrol launches, and even if it were so necessary Hong Kong would not
be in a position to pay for them. If it
were a question of paying for or going withou launches the Colony would certainly prefer to go without them.
The