I do not see the possibility of effective cooperation; & even with this condition there will still be, as past experience shows, great danger of their being employed as routine cruisers to prevent smuggling rather than vessels employed to search for pirates.
In the first, the Provincial Authorities have a very direct & personal interest; in the latter, only one that is remote with a very lukewarm feeling for the well-being of traders & the prosperity of trade to back it. So long as piracy affects their own trade exclusively, they do not see what foreigners have to do with it. They admit that if wholly unchecked it may also become a danger to foreign vessels & in that case allow that they are under some Treaty obligations to cooperate with suppression. But still without a well-organised Naval service, however small, cooperation must be more or less delusive if not absolutely mischievous by the delays incident to combined operations & the certainty of combined movements being communicated to the pirates in time to allow of escape.
As to the proposal to station a Chinese gunboat in the Hongkong waters, I cannot help thinking there are serious objections. In the present temper of the Hongkong community, it will be viewed with suspicion & scarcely fail to be the object of hostility on the part of the authorities & the K-H community. It will not be conducive to good relations either with the Chinese or the local community. If any Officer were on board, they will be pretty certain to meddle with matters not in their province, either to levy squeezes on native boats, or otherwise check & control their movements between the mainland & the colony. They will make secrecy & promptitude of action alike difficult to secure.
Thus it would seem that a Chinese gunboat so stationed will not effect the end contemplated; & very probably will lead to results altogether different & more or less incompatible with the suppression of Piracy.
I do not see the possibility of Effective cooperation; & even with this condition there will still be, as past experience shows, great danger of their being Employed
as rotune.
cruisers to prevent sunggling
rather then Vessels Employed to search for Prates.
In the first,
the Provincial Authorities have
A
very
direct &
one
that is remote
以
a
very
lukewarm feeling for
personal interest; in the latter, only
the well being of traders a the prosperity of
brade to back it.
So long Exclusively, they
Pracy affects their
own trade do not see what foreigners have to do with it. They admit that if wholly
mchecked it may
Vessels also
become a
danger to foreign
& in that case allow that they
in
are
under some Treaty obligations to cooperate wito suppression. But still without a well organised Haval service however small cooperation must be more or less delusive if not absolutely mischievous by the delays incident to combines
operations
*
operation & the certainty of
199
combined movements
being communicated to the Prates in time to
allow of recape.
As to the proposal
to station
a
Chinese
help
fumboat in the Houghing waters I cannot
thinking there are serious objections. In the
the Hongkong
present temper of
Com
Au
mmunity it wird be
wh suspicion Who 15. scarcely
Corperation
authorities &
K-H
object of hostility.
be conducive Sither to
Chinese
or good relations. If any
Officer
were
02
board
they
15. be pretty certain
to meddle with matters not in their province
seek wither to
to levy squeezes
17
native boats,
or otherwise check & control their movements
between the mainland
make secr
vecresy
x
K
the colony. They wid
promptitude of action alike
difficult to secure.
Thus it w. seem
that a Chinese gumbrat
so stationed w? not effect the End contemplated; & very probably wi? lead to results altogether different & more or less incompatible with the suppression of
Piracy.
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