This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[31462]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
747
[September 21.]
SECTION 1
C
38281
RECEIVED 17 OCT 06
(No. 331.) Sir,
Foreign Office, September 21, 1906.
IN connection with the Sinam piracy case, I have had under my consideration the question of the representations which should be made to the Chinese Government for the purpose of insuring the safety of navigation in the Canton River and Delta.
Piracies in these waters appear to be the work of banditti who live on land, often at a considerable distance from the waterways, and whose depredations by land are as frequent as by water.
The work of clearing the Delta of these banditti must, if ever achieved, be long and difficult. Meanwhile it is of importance that some means should be devised without delay for protecting British shipping from their piratical attacks.
In my despatch No. 315 of the 13th instant I transmitted to you copy of a letter from the Colonial Office forwarding a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong in which the suggestion was made that the police control of the waterways should be placed under the Imperial Maritime Customs. I understand that the provincial authorities are exceedingly jealous of the Customs Administration, and a suggestion of this kind made at Peking might therefore tend to make them more active in their endeavour to suppress piracy.
Furthermore, His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, in a private letter to Sir M. Nathan, has suggested that the interest of the Viceroy in the matter would be quickened if he were made pecuniarily responsible for all piracies of vessels under a foreign flag. For this purpose an Imperial Edict would no doubt be necessary.
I request, therefore, that you will consider the advisability when addressing the Chinese Government on the inefficiency of the measures taken to suppress piracy on the Canton waterways, of pressing for the issue of an Imperial Edict making the Canton Viceroy pecuniarily responsible for piracies of vessels under a foreign flag, and at the same time suggesting that an effective mode of dealing with the matter would be to intrust the policing of these waterways to the Imperial Maritime Customs.
I am, &c. (Signed) EDWARD GREY.
[2146-1]
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.j
FFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[31462]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
747
[September 21.]
SECTION 1
C
38281
RECE
peer 17 OCT 06
(No. 331.) Sir,
Foreign Office, September 21, 1906. IN connection with the Sinam piracy case, I have had under my consideration the question of the representations which should be made to the Chinese Government for the purpose of insuring the safety of navigation in the Canton River and Delta.
Piracies in these waters appear to be the work of banditti who live on land, often at a considerable distance from the waterways, and whose depredations by land are as requent as by water.
The work of clearing the Delta of these banditti must, if ever achieved, be long and difficult. Meanwhile it is of importance that some means should be devised without delay for protecting British shipping from their piratical attacks.
In my despatch No. 315 of the 13th instant I transmitted to you copy of a letter from the Colonial Office forwarding a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong in which the suggestion was made that the police control of the waterways should be placed under the Imperial Maritime Customs. 1 understand that the provincial authorities are exceedingly jealous of the Customs Administration, and a suggestion of this kind made at Peking might therefore tend to make them more active in their endeavour to suppress piracy.
Furthermore, His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, in a private letter to Sir M. Nathan, has suggested that the interest of the Viceroy in the matter would be quickened if he were made pecuniarily responsible for all piracies of vessels under a foreign flag. For this purpose an Imperial Edict would no doubt be necessary.
I request, therefore, that you will consider the advisability when addressing the Chinese Government on the inefficiency of the measures taken to suppress piracy on the Canton waterways, of pressing for the issue of an Imperial Edict making the Canton Viceroy pecuniarily responsible for piracies of vessels under a foreign flag, and at the same time suggesting that an effective mode of dealing with the matter would be to intrust the policing of these waterways to the Imperial Maritime Customs.
I am, &c. (Signed) EDWARD GREY.
[2146 -1]
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