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the river on similar duty I am informed that they devoted
themselves to turning an honest penny by towing junks,
and carefully avoided any collision with the pirates.
If any
5. I have had a consultation with Admiral Sir E.
Seymour on the subject, and we concur that having regard
to the very cordial assurance of the Viceroy Li Hung Chang
that he will do all that he can, and will welcome our
co-operation if necessary, the safest course will be to
give him time to carry out the arrangements proposed by
the Acting Viceroy. He will not have entered practically
upon his duties for a month, as in a day or two his seal of
office will be locked up for three weeks, in accordance
with the Chinese custom during the New Year holidays, and
during that time the Officers in Command of the "Tweed"
and "Sandpiper" can report as to what is being done and,
in the event of gunboats being placed upon duty as
proposed, how that duty is being performed.
further steps become necessary we think that having regard
to the expressed desire of Li Hung Chang to arrange
matters with me direct it might be well for me to return
his visit at Canton, in accordance with his invitation to
which I allude in another despatch of this date, and to
arrange with him, if possible, either for a loan to
Her Majesty's Navy of two or three of several torpedo
boats lying idle at Whampoa, or that a mixed crew of
seamen and Chinese should be put on board under the command
of a Naval officer of Her Majesty's Service. But this
visit I shall not pay without receiving your instructions.
6. In the course of our conversation, Li Hung Chang
expressed his views of settling the difficulty with the
inhabitants