CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 126

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the "Ki Cheung" was run into a shallow creek near Sau-hsis Kou in Hsiu-tsae which the gunboat, according to the

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Captain's statement, could not enter. He therefore landed with seven men, only to find that the piratea had made good 1

their escape,

The question of the suppression of piracy has, as Your Excelloney is aware,for many months past had the most care- ful attention and closeat consideration of His Majesty's Government, His Majesty's Minister,His Excellency the British Admiral and the Commodore at Hongkong, and their unanimous opinion has been that the only means to reduce it is to employ fast-moving,woll-armed and adequately manned cruisers under Customs control to police the water-

ways and cooperate with the officials on land in searching for and tracking down those desperadoes, I had the honour in my despatch of the 25th ultime to inform your predecessor

H.E. Chou that the Wai Tu Pu had some time ago given its assent to this scheme and added that the plan for station-

ing guards on launches could only be accepted as a complement to it. I must now reiterate the opinion which I have repeatedly expressed before that the employment of the guards on launches alone is entirely inadequate to meet the circumstances of the case and that patrolling cruisers

of such speed as to be able to overtake the fastest trading

Launches are absolutely necessary if it is intended to take any atermined step to suppress the repeated piracies in

these waters.

*

There are certain facts in the present caso which I have the honour to bring prominently to Your Excelleney's

notice:-

(1). That the piracy occurred on the much frequented

and busy route between Ch'en Ts'un and Canton.