Sir,
COPY.
C. O.
5629
RECO A
TC FEB 256
British Consulate,
Canton, January 31, 1899.
On November 7 last I had the honour to address you with regard to the piratical outrages on the inland waters in this neighbourhood and received your reply, dated November 28, informing me that the Tsungli Yamen had directed the Viceroy here to take stringent measures to put a stop to them. Since then matters have gone from bad to worse. On December 16, at the instance of the Hong Kong Government, I brought to the Viceroy's notice a sanguinary attack on a Hong Kong registered fishing junk in which 5 men were killed and others wounded. This occurred off Ping Hoi, some 40 miles north-east of Hong Kong. The native papers, since the date of my last despatch, report no less than 47 more cases of piracy, some 30 of which occurred on the North River, which enters the West River at Samshui. In several of these cases, life was taken, and it may almost be said that a reign of terror exists on the waterways of the Two Kuang. Cargo boats are afraid to travel at night or to move about except in company, and trade is becoming, to a certain extent, paralysed. The Viceroy is always ailing, and it is difficult to obtain interviews with him. I have repeatedly addressed him on the subject of these piracies in the strongest terms, but can only obtain the stereotyped reply that stringent instructions...
Sir Claude M. MacDonald, K.C.B. K.C.M.G.
Her Majesty's Minister,
PEKIN.
i
Sir,
COPY.
C. 0.
5629
RECO A
TC FEB
256
British Consulate,
Canton, January 31, 1899.
On November 7 last I had the honour to
address you with regard to the piratical outrages on the inland
waters in this heighbourhood and received your reply, dated
November 28, informing me that the Tsung 11 Yamen had directed
the Viceroy here to take stringent measures to put a stop to
them. Since then matters have gone from had to worse. On
December 16 at the instance of the HongKong Government I brought to the Viceroy's notice a sanguinary attack on a HongKong re-
gistered fishing junk in which 5 men were killed and others
wounded. This occurred off Ping Hoi some 40 miles north east
of HongKong. The native papers, since the date of my last des-
patch, report no less than 47 more cases of piracy, some 30
of which occurred on the North River which enters the West River
at Samshui. In several of these cases life was taken and it
may almost be said that a reign of terror exists on the water-
ways of the Two Kuang. Cargo boats are afraid to travel at hight
or to move about except in company and trade is becoming to a
certain extent paralized. The Viceroy is always ailing and it
is difficult to obtain interviews with him. I have repeatedly
addressed him on the subject, of these piracies in the strongest
terms but can only obtain the stereotyped reply that stringent
instructions
Bir Claude M. MacDonald, K.C.B. K.C.M.G.
Her Majesty's Minister,
PEKIN G.
11
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