CO129-297 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [1-3] — Page 199

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Shun Te Hsien. Viceroy.

without fall at once to recover this lot of booty in its entirety and to arrest the robbers one and all and hand them over to justice. You will also send in a truthful report bearing on the Consul's statement that the place in question is a nest of robbers." If you still continue to delay and trifle and allow a long time to elapse without the arrests being made, I will certainly remove and denounce you without mercy. Tremble at this.

Mr. Li has now reported as follows:-

With reference to this case, I have the honour to state that upon receipt of Y.E's instructions on the 30th November, I at once placed myself in communication with the civil and military authorities of the Hsin Hui District and with the military authorities of this District and offered rewards for the arrest of the robbers. Subsequently on December 9th, Nieh Chên-ying, an expectant Sergeant in the Shun-tzu Battalion, arrested at Pai Sha Wei a robber named Yuan Chüeh-wei-lung and four others who were concerned in the "Hou An" steam-launch piracy. Two of these criminals, Yuan Chüeh-wei-lung and Hu A-yung, when being examined, admitted having been also concerned in the Tung Kong case. I will again have these criminals brought before me and carefully examine them with regard to the booty and their accomplices, and will take severe measures to secure the certain arrest of the latter so that they may be dealt with at the same time. As in duty bound I now report for Y.E's information the circumstances of the arrest of certain criminals in connection with the "Tung Kong" piracy case.

I am replying to the above directing the Hsien to have the criminals again brought before him for examination and punishment, and also to take stringent measures for the arrest of their accomplices.

I have &c.

(Seal of Viceroy.)