67
energetically pursued. I regret to say that
nothing of this kind has, in fact, been done as
yet, and the piracy last month of a Chine Merchants'
steamer by a Bias Bay gang shows that, if any action
at all was taken, it was ineffectual. This last
piracy occurred immediately before the retum of
Marshal Li Chai-sum through Hong Kong to Canton in
April last; and, while he was in Hong Kong, both he
and General Taui again came to see me, and I handed
over to them personally the particulars of this
last outrage and urged upon then the necessity for
taking immediate and drastic steps to suppress Bias
Bay pirates. They both once more assured me that
such steps would be taken without delay; and I
impressed it upon them that action afloat would not,
in my opinion, suffice, but that there must be
Theyfully
systematic operations ashore, contimed over a
period of neveral weeks. They fully agreed and
said that much action would be token,
In these circumstances, I consider that, if
another outrage should be perpetrated upon a
British steamer by Bias Bay pirates, it would be
necessary, before taking independent punitive steps
ourselves, to approach the Canton Government through
His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, and request the
Cantonese Authorities to take immediate punitive
mecsures, while offering then at the same time the
Naval, and "ilitary
co-operation of His Vajesty's/forces in such an
expedition. It would only be in the event of the
Cantonese authorities refusing our co-operation and
failing to take any effective measures themselves that
we should in my opinion be justified in acting
independently