do it can only be explained on the supposition that he did not want to do it. Assuming on the other hand that he wanted to do it but could not then clearly he was unfit for his post. In either event he should have been replaced by some- one who both could and would per- form the obvious duty.
on
On
The natural result of all this was that
February 14 an attack was made
large motor boat named the Tien Kong, owned by a British subject trading up the West River from Samshui. $2,500 was stolen, and the motor boat was run ashore by the pirates almost opposite and in full sight of a Chinese guard boat from which no assistance was forthcom- ing. As far as I can learn no satisfaction for the outrage has yet been obtained. But if anything was done it was clearly not to en phasize the heinous nature of the crime of violating a foreign flag. For on
March 22 the Standard Oil Company's launch the Comet was held up and robbed and her crew brutally maltreated. Still nothing was done to vindicate the position of the foreign shipowner as guaranteed to him by China under existing treaties. Following upon this came the piracy of a Chinese launch belonging to the Po On Cors pany, a Hongkong Company, from which 810,000 were robbed. No punishment as far as is known here followed this outrage. The de- speradoes now seemed to have come to the conclusion that it would be comparatively safe to attack one of the larger foreign steamers plying on the West River, and so we have had to itness, this last, worst case of all-the murderous and fatal at- tack on the Sainam.
In
The details are fresh in your memory. It is unnecessary for me to go into them. The point I want to make is that the incident is clear- ly traceable to the supineness of the Chinese authorities in the face of the previous occurrences to which i have referred. And now comes the question: Who is the official directly responsible for this supine- ness? I can conceive of only one answer. Viceroy Shum is responsi ble (hear, hear). Dr. MacDonald's blood is on his oficial head. common justice the Viceroy's official life should answer for the crime. It should be cut short by his enforced retirement (applause). This last is merely my private view. It may be met by the objection that there is no likelihood of Shum being succceded by a better man. BUL even a worse man than Shum would be better for us if he came to his duties impressed by the idea that ho had really to govern in order to reign. We are told that the Vice- roy, in consequence of the prompt and energetic demands of the Bri- tish Government, is doing his best: at the moment to capture the culprits. The horse having escaped, great zeal is being brought to bear in shutting the stable door. This is all very well, but why did not the Viceroy display some zeal before? I think I can tell you. He thought it was safe to ignore British Con- sular representation. That is why. He ignored all manner of repre- sentations consistently and persist- ently. Now he seems to be afraid. That is well. But his tremors will not bring the dead to life again, nor will they restore for many a day the loss of confidence in the protective
power of the prestige of the British flag upon the river. Moreover activity in searching for the Sai- ham's culprits; in catching a few out of the 100 or more implicated, and exhibiting their beads on poles along the river bank, will not da any permanent good, unless, it he accompanied by the systematic de struction of the pirates' lairs-well- known to the people of the district- and farthermore be followed up by the inauguration of an efficient ser- vice of properly manned and well- found steam cutters; not as at pre- sent, occasional launches lying idle at long distances apart with steam down and the crow asleep, or gam- bling; living on wages most of which they do not get and making up the difference by taking "hush money from the pirates. This is the sort of thing which has brought about the present evil. And for this, as for everything else, the Viceroy must. be held accountable (applause). It is clear that he has not seriously en- deavoured to cope with the diff culties of the situation; that he has allowed matters to drift and that he has altogether failed to fufil the functions of his high office. He is the real culprit. On his shoulders the blame rests and we should not rest until this has been made plain to him. Unless it is, the whole affair will soon be forgotten and the old evils will recur.
lu saying this I speak with the confidence arising out of the know- ledge that I am uttering, not merely my own convictions, but those also of the leading members of the civil community; not only of the British mercantile community, but also of the heads of the mercantile houses of other nationalities who conduct business from Hongkong (applause). Further, I make bold to say that these views are in consonance with those of every honest and law-abiding Chi- nese. Indeed it is far more in their interests than in the interests of any foreigner that steps should be taken to eradicate these pirate posts and to re-establish law and order in the region of the Delta whore the Chi- nese are the chief sufferers from the lax adininistration of which we com- plain.
Life, property and com- munication are alike unsafe, and trade languishes in consequence. In the interest of every merchant of every nationality; of every law-abid- ing Chinese; of every traveller, whether official, commercial, mis- sionary or visitor to these shores; in the interest of everyone-includ- ing even the Chinese officials, if they would believe it-in the in- terest even of prospective pirates--- who would be happier earning an honest livelihood-it is time that confidence should be restored; it is time that something definite and drastic should be done. These aro the views on the strength of which I invite you, gentlemen, to support the following resolution!--
That this meeting of members of the Hongkong branch of the China Association desires to record the opinion that recent ontragos on shipping in the West River are directly due to lax administration on the part of the Viceroy of Canton, and to
press upon the London Branch the need for representing this to the Foreign Office, and while gratefully acknowledging the promptaess and energy with
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