CO129-334 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [5-7] — Page 601

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the establishment of a new international service.

If the

Imperial Maritime Customs were charged, as is suggested,

with the suppression of piracy it would be for them to pre

pare a scheme for carrying this out which should be com-

municated to His Majesty's Government, and it would be advis-

able that the officers of His Majesty's gunboats on the

Canton River should have full cognizance of this scheme and

be directed to report periodically that the patrolling of

the rivers and other proceedings it laid down were conduct-

ed in accordance with it. Hitherto as far as I am aware the

carrying out of the engagements of the Cantonese authori-

ties has not been subject to supervision of this nature.

For instance when in 1902 representations were made to His

Majesty's Minister at Peking in the matter of piracy on the

West River arrangements were made to patrol the delta with

two Chinese gunboats under European command. If ever

effect was given to these arrangements they have long

ceased to be in force.

7.

I trust I shall not be considered to be

travelling outside my proper sphere in making the suggestion

contained in this despatch, but it is the merchants and

people of this Colony who are primarily affected by lawless-

ness in the neighbouring provinces of China, and it is to

this Government that those merchants and people look to

to