276
required an abore where the pirates have their strange
holde for if the evil is to be removed is must be attacked
at its roots.
Our efforts to concer
sasures against pirates with
the Cantonese authorities have met with varying success
mccording to the political situation in Arangtung and the
state of our relations with those authorities at a given
time. The Cantonese bave usually shown themselves willing
to co-operate to the extent of exchanging information with
the Hong ng police; but they have met a gestiones of joint
Hongkng
offensive action against pirate bases with obvious hemi ta tion.
Their reluctance was overcome in 1934, apparently by the four
that independent aetion wisht otherwise be taken. In that
year five joint co-operative expeditions were undertaken
against pirates in the Canton delte.
mi
semente were sade
in Hongkong to furnish the Chinese authorities with coal
and launches necessary for these expeditions, and British
gunboats accompanied them,
Chinese cVEZELJOTE
ever
di splayed great anxiety to prevent any very motive partici ae
tion by these gunboats whose role was for the most part
confined to enveying Chinese troops, standing by during an
action and blooking ways of ascape by water. Only one Joint
expedition has been made against Dias Day. This
beginning of 1928, and was in so-operation with the troops of
a general who was at that time at war
authorities.
#ings 1934 he Canson authorities have consistently
refused or evaded our way offers of so-operation, and in
view of their self-evient incompetenes and disregard of
duty, lišajesty'a Goverment have on these occasione, mil
in the present year, been compelled to take independent
punitive/