CO129-113 - MacDonnell - 1866 [5-6] — Page 188

tham 400 men and too cannons. These results achieved at

great cost and considerable

inconvenience are valuable not s much to British interests as to

Chinese Commerce, and to the Chinese authorities by relieving them in part of those obligations which they owe to the civilized world to keep and maintain the

Police of their

own seas.

Sherefore

those returns must be held to

& constitute a strong claim on the

energetic and of the Chinese

so

authorities

Mow

that they have

leisure once more to attend to

their flain duty in euch matter.

{

187

His Excellency doubts not that

you will be able

afaure

himm

of the willingnes of the Chinese authority in the important Province adjoining this Colony to adopt at last some comprehensive fractical measure in which the Excentive here may if

possible join for the enfpresion of Giracy and the disarming of all dunks, save those belonging to the chinese Government-

I have, He,

(Signed) W. F. Mercer,

Colonial Secretary-

(Dome Copy.)

Colonial Secretary..