Canton, 24th July, 1890
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.
A timber dealer in Sin Tong, Namhoi district, was forced to pay $10,000.
Cheong Hop of Sui Taug, Shun Tak district, timber merchant, had his cargo seized on the way to Lo Chun by robbers; $400 had to be paid for the release of same.
Two (2) girls in a house boat in Heung Kau, Shun Tak district, were abducted and held for ransom.
At Lok Cheng, Shun Tak district, $4,000 were demanded from all the pork dealers. The money not forthcoming, three boats, laden with pigs valued at $200 to $300 each were seized.
Four houses at Loong Kong were surrounded by robbers and clothing and jewellery, &c., carried away.
At Kwong Wah, Shun Tak district, an eating house was robbed of $600.
A boat from Loong Kong to Sui Lam, nearing Locklow, was held up by pirates and $1,200 stolen.
Another boat, plying from Canton to Kong Moon, was stopped by pirates and threatened to be seized unless the captain paid $400 on his next trip.
At Loong Kong, Shun Tak district, a rich family was robbed to the extent of $2,000.
A steam launch from Macao to Wuchow was held by pirates, valuable cargo stolen, and the purser shot.
A steam launch from Canton to Whampoa was likewise stopped by pirates and $1,000 stolen. Quan Hing, a silk merchant, sending money to Loong Kong to buy silk, was robbed on the way to the extent of $1,000.
Hongkong, 10th August, 1899.
R. M. Gray, Esq., Chairman,
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce,
Dear Sir,-A practical instance of the interruption to trade caused by piracy on the rivers of the Kwangtung province was brought before us this morning when a leading dealer refused to entertain business in produce on the ground that there was no security for transport. The business would, in ordinary circumstances, we believe, have gone through.
On questioning the dealer, he alleged that repeated cases of junks held up for payments had recently occurred, causing serious apprehension, that under the circumstances he preferred not to come under engagement. We are, dear sir, yours faithfully,
BRADLEY & Co.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. Hongkong, 14th August, 1899,
Dear Sirs-I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th inst. giving a very practical instance of the interruption to business caused by piracy now prevailing in the provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, which I laid before the Committee. The subject is now receiving attention at the hands of the Committee, who trust their representations will not prove without effect.-I am, dear sirs, yours faithfully,
R. M. GRAY,
Chairman,
To Messrs. Bradley and Co., Hongkong.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. Hongkong, 11th August, 1899.
Sir-By the courtesy of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., we sent yesterday, through the medium of Mr. W. Keswick, M.P., the following telegram to you:--
"Kwang provinces very unsettled. No reliance can be placed in the Viceroy of Canton. Piracy interferes seriously with trade. We urge upon you the necessity of more gunboats to protect our interests West River."
I now beg to confirm the above, and in doing so will endeavour to give some particulars of the condition of affairs in the provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, through which the West River and its numerous feeders flow.
For some time past, owing to the weakness and corruption of the Administration, the rich producing districts in these provinces have been terrorised by bands of robbers, who, encouraged by impunity and enriched by plunder, have armed themselves, acquired junks and even steam-launches, by the aid of which they have "held up" whole villages and towns and pirated vessels on the rivers. These outrages have increased latterly to such an extent that within the last month no less than nineteen daring robberies and piracies, many of them attended with bloodshed, have been committed within the silk producing districts alone, and those are only cases that have been brought to our notice; the actual condition of affairs being in reality far worse than this statement might be supposed to indicate.
The pirates are growing so bold that they are only deterred by the greater risk from attacking foreign as well as native steamers. Indeed, only as recently as the 20th ult. on the West River a steam-launch flying the Portuguese flag was overhauled and boarded by a piratical launch, the Portuguese in charge and a native seaman shot down, and the vessel looted. Since then another steamer has been stopped and the cargo removed by the pirates.
The feeble attempts of the Canton Government to cope with the banditti and pirates, who are now in a position to blackmail the industrious portion of the population, have been worse than useless. The marauders are well armed with rifles and revolvers, have their strongholds in the hills, and have so far successfully defied any force of so-called soldiers the Viceroy may, under pressure, have despatched to attempt their suppression.
Trade has for some months been greatly hampered by the feeling of insecurity induced through the frequent robberies and the extortion practised by the heads of the gangs, but lately the position has become much more serious. The Silk trade is completely disorganised in consequence thereof. The merchants in Canton who have made contracts to deliver silk to foreign firms there, have given formal notice that they are afraid they may be unable to fulfil their engagements owing to the danger attending the transport of silk and treasure. The silk filatures and cocoon shops in the silk districts have been threatened and plundered, and unless order is soon restored it is to be feared that trade will be reduced to small limits. The foreign steamboats engaged in the river trade now only get light cargoes and even the passenger traffic is much restricted.
The appearance of one small British gunboat (the Sandpiper) on the West River has been hailed with considerable satisfaction and her presence is much appreciated by merchants and traders, but this great waterway is lengthy and the pirates are so numerous that the moral effect is necessarily restricted, and a small flotilla of these useful and serviceable craft is desirable if the West River is to be efficiently patrolled, while light draught steam-launches might be usefully employed for work in the creeks. It is useless to look for any effective action from the present Viceroy, and as his influence at Peking is understood to be considerable, it is to be feared that any reference to the Tsungli Yamen would at best result in some temporary measures of doubtful utility. In the increase of the British patrolling squadron only can we hope for any permanent improvement in the present state of disorder. A precedent exists for this intervention, as in former years Her Majesty's warships undertook...
Page 22
Canton, 24th July, 1890
SUPLEMENTARY REPORT.
A timber dealer in Sin Tong, Namhoi dis- trict, was forced to pay $10.000.
Cheong Hop of Sui Taug, Shnu Tak district, timber merchant, had his cargo seized on the y to Lo Chun by robbers; S400 had to be paid for the release of same.
Two (2) girls in a house boat in Heung Kau, Shun Tak district, wero abducted and held for
ransom.
At Lok Cheng, Shun Tak district, $4,000 were demanded from all the pork dealers. the money not forthcoming, three boats, laden with pigs valued at $200 to $300 each were seized.
Four houses at Loong Kong were surrounded by robbers and clothing and jewellery, &o., carried away.
At Kwong Wah, Shun Tak district, au eat- ing house was robbed of $600.
A boat from Loong Kong to Sui Lam, near- ing Locklow, was held up" by pirates and $1,200 stolen.
Another boat, plying from Canton to Koug Moon, was stopped by pirates and threatened to be seised unless the captaiu pay $400 on his next trip.
At Loong Kong, Shua Tak district. a rich family was robbed to the extent of $2,000,
A steam launch from Macao to Wuchow was held by pirates, valuable cargo stolen, and the purser shot.
A steam launch from Canton to Whampoa was likewise stopped by pirates and $1,000 stolen. Quan Hing, a silk merchant, sonding money to Loong Kong to buy silk, was robbed on the way to the extent of $1,000.
Hongkong, 10th August, 1899.
R. M. Gray, Esq., Chairman,
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, Dear Sir,-A practical instance of the inter- ruption to trade caused by piracy on the rivers of the Kwangtung province was brought before us this morning when a leading dealer refused to entertain business in produce on the ground that there was no security for transport. The f business would in ordinary circumstances, we įbelieve, have gone through.
On questioning the dealer, he alleged that repeated cases of junks held up" for payments, had recently occurred, causing serions appro- hension, that under the circumstances he pre- ferred not to come under engagement.We ! are, doar sir,tyours faithfully,
BRADLEY & Co.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. Hongkong, 14th August, 1899,
Dear Sirs-1 beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th inst. giving a very practical instance of the interruption to business caused by piracy now prevailing in the pro- rinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, which I laid before the Committee. The subject is now receiving attention at the hands of the Com- mittee, who trust their representations will not prove without effect.-I am, dear sirs, yours faithfully,
R. M. GRAY,
Chairman,
To Messrs. Bradley and Co., Hongkong.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. Hongkong, 11th August, 1899. Sir-By the courtesy of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson Co., we sent yesterday, through the wedium of Mr. W. Keswick, M. P., the follow- ing telegram to you :--
"Kwang provinces very unsettled. No re- liance can be placed in the Viceroy of Canton. Piracy interferes seriously with "trade. Wo arge upon you the necessity of more gunboats to protect our intorests West River."
I now beg to confirm the above, and in doing so will endeavour to give some particulars of the condition of affairs in the provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, through which the West River and its unmerous foeders flow.
For some time past, owing to the weakness and corruption of the Administration, the rich producing distriols in these provinces have been terrorised by bands of robbers, who, encouraged by impunity and enriched by plunder, hare armed themselves, acquired junks and even steam-lauuches, by the aid of which they have "held up" whole villages and towns and pirated vessels on the rivers, These outrages extent have increased latterly to such an that within the last month no less than nine- teen daring robberies and piracies, many of them attended with bloodshed, have been com- mitted within the silk producing districts alone. and those are only cases that have been brought to our notice; the aotusi condition of affairs being in reality far worse than this statement might be supposed to indicate. The pirates are growing so bold that they are only deterred by the greater risk from attacking foreign as wall as native steamers. Indeed, only as recently as steam-launch the 20th ult. on the West River fying the Portuguese flag was overhauled and hoarded by a piratical launch, the Portuguese in charge and a nutive seaman shot down, and the vessel looted. Since then another steamer has been stopped and the cargo removed by the pirates.
The feeble attempts of the Canton Govern- meat to cope with the banditti and pirates, who are now in a position to blackmail the indus. trious portion of the population, have been worse than useless. The marauders are well armed with rifles and revolvers, have their strongholds in the hills, and have so far successfully defied aay force of so-called soldiers the Viceroy may, under pressure have despatched to attempt their suppression.
Trade has for some months been greatly hampered by the feeling of insecurity induced through the frequent robberies and the extor- tion practised by the heads of the gangs, but lately the position has become much more sor- ions. The Silk trade is completely disorganised The merchants in in consequence thereof. Canton who have made contracts to deliver silk to foreign firms there, have given formal notice that they are afraid they may be unable to fulfil their engagements owing to the danger attend- ing the transport of silk and treasure. The silk filatures and cocoon shops in the silk dis tricts have been threatened and plundered, and unless order is soou restored it is to be feared that trade will be reduced to small limits. The foreign steamboats engaged in the river trade now only get light cargoes and even the passage tric is much restricted.
The appearance of one small British gunboat the Sandpiper) on the West River has been hailed with considerable satisfaction and ber presence is much appreciated by merchants and traders, but this great waterway is lengthy and the pirates are so numerous that the moral effect is necessarily restricted, and a small flotilla of these useful and serviceable craft is desirable if the West River is to be efficiently patrolled, while light draught steam-launches might be usefully employed for work in the creeka. It is useless to look for any effective action from the present Viceroy, and as his influence at Peking is understood to be considerable, it is to be feared
that any reference to the Tsungli Yamen would at best result in some temporary measures of doubtful utility. In the increase of the British patrolling squadron only can we hope for any permanent improvement in the present state of disorder. A precedent exists for this interven- tion, as in former years Her Majesty's warships
undertook
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