CO129-297 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [1-3] — Page 212

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

210

latter weapons and ammunition eventually find their way to a great extent into the hands of the robbers, brigand and blackmails infesting the district.

The smuggling of arms and ammunition on foreign steamers is considerable, as is shown by the seizures made by the Imperial Maritime Customs. But the Customs Officers seldom make a seizure of a consignment, of which they have not previous information and we may conclude that only a small portion of the arms smuggled by the crews of vessels under foreign flags is seized, while the smuggling by native craft from the Colony into every creek and bay along the coast and up the rivers must be very many times larger.

The effect of all this lawlessness added to the fact that one of the chief sources of its support is a British Colony, is undoubtedly a very serious matter both to British interests and prestige, and to British trade. British and Chinese launches have been "held up" even between Canton and Whampoa on three occasions since I have been here by gangs of twelve or fourteen men all armed with revolvers. Gangs of desperadoes loaf about the streets of Canton and frequently when they see a chance, as happened not long ago on the premises of a British firm, rush in, terrorize the employees by presenting revolvers

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210 latter weapons and ammunition eventually find their way to a great extent into the hands of the robbers, brigand and blackmails infesting the district. The smuggling of arms and ammunition on foreign steamers is considerable, as is shown by the seizures made by the Imperial Maritime Customs. But the Customs Officers seldom make a seizure of a consignment, of which they have not previous information and we may conclude that only a small portion of the arms smuggled by the crews of vessels under foreign flags is seized, while the smuggling by native craft from the Colony into every creek and bay along the coast and up the rivers must be very many times larger. The effect of all this lawlessness added to the fact that one of the chief sources of its support is a British Colony, is undoubtedly a very serious matter both to British interests and prestige, and to British trade. British and Chinese launches have been "held up" even between Canton and Whampoa on three occasions since I have been here by gangs of twelve or fourteen men all armed with revolvers. Gangs of desperadoes loaf about the streets of Canton and frequently when they see a chance, as happened not long ago on the premises of a British firm, rush in, terrorize the employees by presenting revolvers

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ן 210 latter weapons and ammunition eventually find their way to a great extent into the hands of the robbers, brigand and black- mails infesting the district. The smuggling of arms and ammunition on foreign steazers is considerable, as is shown by the seizures made by the Imperial Maritime Customs. But the Customs Officers seldom make a seizure of à consignment, of which they have not previour informtion and we may conclude that only a small portion of the arms smuggled by the crews of vessels under foreign flags is scized, while the smuggling by native craft from the Colony into every creek and bay along the coast and up the rivers must be very many times larger. The effect of all this lawlessness added to the fact that one of the chief sources of its support is a British Colony, is undoubtedly a very serious matter both to British interests and prestige, and to British trade. British and Chinese launches have been "held up" even between Canton and Whampoa on three occasions since I have been here by gangs of twelve or fourteen men all armed with revolvers. Gangs of desperadoes loaf about the streets of Canton and frequently when they see a chance, as happened not long ago on the premises of a British fire, rush in, terrorize the employes by presenting revolvers

2026-05-31 17:23:17 · Baseline

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210

latter weapons and ammunition eventually find their way to a

great extent into the hands of the robbers, brigand and black-

mails infesting the district.

The smuggling of arms and ammunition on

foreign steazers is considerable, as is shown by the seizures

made by the Imperial Maritime Customs. But the Customs Officers

seldom make a seizure of à consignment, of which they have not

previour informtion and we may conclude that only a small

portion of the arms smuggled by the crews of vessels under

foreign flags is scized, while the smuggling by native craft

from the Colony into every creek and bay along the coast and

up the rivers must be very many times larger.

The effect of all this lawlessness added

to the fact that one of the chief sources of its support is a

British Colony, is undoubtedly a very serious matter both to

British interests and prestige, and to British trade. British

and Chinese launches have been "held up" even between Canton

and Whampoa on three occasions since I have been here by gangs

of twelve or fourteen men all armed with revolvers. Gangs of

desperadoes loaf about the streets of Canton and frequently

when they see a chance, as happened not long ago on the premises

of a British fire, rush in, terrorize the employes by presenting

revolvers

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