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inclose copy and translation of a despatch addressed to his Excellency the Acting Viceroy in which the circumstances of the case are stated at some length; I venture, however, to invite your attention to one special act of the pirates which is not therein mentioned, and which goes to show that the men who took part in the attack were professional robbers or pirates like those who pirated the “ Sainam "in June of last year. It appears from the evidence given me by the Captain of the Chinese gun-boat "Pao Chich," by those on board the launch, and by the rescued passengers themselves, that the pirates strictly enjoined upon these last when thrown overboard that they were, if picked up by the gun-boat, to caution her not to push the pursuit home or the launch would be blown up. The pirates were, in fact, provided with a number of stinkpots which would have caused fire, but would not have enabled them to properly execute their threat.
I received yesterday your telegram No. 44 of the 10th instant, and at once addressed to the Acting Viceroy a further despatch, copy and translation of which are herewith forwarded.
It is impossible to regard this additional piracy of a British launch in the close vicinity of Canton in any but a most serious light, and I felt confident that you would approve of the opportunity being seized to again press home upon the Provincial Government the demand for patrolling cruisers under Imperial Maritime Customs control. As telegraphed to you in my telegram No. 43, the Admiral is not now opposed to their employment, and I have little doubt, though no positive proof, that the chief opposition to them throughout has been offered by the Provincial Treasurer, Hu Hsiang Lin, the present Acting Viceroy. He has, as reported in Mr. Sly's despatch No. 24 of the 18th May last, the reputation of being notoriously anti-foreign, and (so my informa- tion goes) has, as the most influential member of the Board of Reorganization (Shan Hou Chu) and the Customs Board (Kuan-wu Ch'u), given more or less free rein to his proclivities in this direction.
Even though the sum required to purchase the four cruisers mentioned in your despatch to the Foreign Office No. 208 of the 1st May last should be furnished by the Revenue Council (Shai-wu Ch'u), there still remains the question of the maintenance of the vessels once they are put into commission. It seems to me that the Commissioner of Customs should be authorized to debit his accounts with the money necessary for this purpose. My reason is twofold: firstly, it will strengthen his control of their manage- ment; and, secondly, it should assist in removing opposition on the part of the Provincial Treasury. Failing this plan, I can conceive of only one other, namely, that the Central Government categorically insists upon the acceptance and proper maintenance of the ships by the Provincial Government. At the same time, knowing how slender is the control of the Imperial over a Provincial Government, I hesitate to think that this latter plan holds out mnch promise of success; while, for the reasons which I have already given, I consider the former preferable. In any event it will be necessary for the Inspector-General to make the Commissioner clearly understand that he is expected to act in furtherance of, and not in opposition to, the scheme which has received the approval of His Majesty's Government and the Wai-wu Pu.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J
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being money and property to the value of some 300 dollars taken from the passengers, 40 dollars in cash belonging to the launch, and 30 dollars and various articles of clothing the property of her crew. The launch was kept under way, and subsequently encountered the launch "Li Tung" with a passenger-boat in tow. The tow was dropped, and the "Li Tung" went in pursuit of the "Ki Choung," being afterwards joined by the gun- boat "Pao Chieh," which also gave chase. To delay the pursuit ten passengers in all were thrown overboard at different times, four of whom were picked up by the gun-boat, four by the "Li Tung," and two by another launch, the "Kuan Li," which was also met. Eventually the "Ki Cheung was run into a shallow creek near Ssu-hsia Kou, in Hsiu-tsao, which the gun-boat, according to the Captain's statement, could not enter. He therefore landed with seven men, only to find that the pirates had made good their
.escape.
The question of the suppression of piracy has, as your Excellency is aware, for many months past had the most careful attention and closest consideration of His Majesty's Government, His Majesty's Minister, his Excellency the British Admiral and the Commodore at Hong Kong, and their unanimous opinion has been that the only means to reduce it is to employ fast-moving, well armed and adequately manned cruisers under Customs control, to police the water-ways, and co-operate with the officials on land in searching for and tracking down these desperadoes. I had the honour in my despatch of the 25th ultimo to inform your predecessor his Excellency Chou that the Wai-wu Pu had some time ago given its assent to this scheme, and added that the plan for stationing 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 determined step to suppress the repeated piracies in these waters.
There are certain facts in the present case which I have the honour to bring prominently to your Excellency's notice :--
1. That the piracy occurred on the much frequented and busy route between Ch'en Ta'un and Canton,
2. That the actual spot is only some 9 miles from this great provincial capital.
3. That the gun-boat "Pao Chieh," though she gave immediate chase, had not sufficient speed to evertake the captured launch, all allowance being made for the delay in picking up the passengers thrown overboard.
Thus beneath the very eyes of the highest Provincial authorities the piracy of a peaceful British trader is allowed to obtain.
I am reporting the facts of the occurrence to my Minister in Peking, and shall have the honour to address you on the subject again.
I avail, &c.
R. W. MANSFIELD,
Sir,
(Signed) R. W. MANSFIELD.
Sir,
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Acting Viceroy Hu.
Canton, July 10, 1907.
I REGRET to have to report to your Excellency another piracy of a British launch, the Ki Cheung.' The circumstances, as gathered from the information given me by the Captain of the Chinese gun-boat "Pao Chieh," by four passengers who were thrown overboard by the pirates and rescued by him, and by the owner, captain, and shreff of the launch, are as follows:---
The "Ki Cheung" left Ch'en Ts'un on the afternoon of the 6th instant for Canton, and when off San Chau Kao was boarded by six armed pirates who came alongside in a sampan, the captain being forcibly compelled to slow down, to allow them to come on board, by four pirates who were already on the launch in the guise of passengers, and who attacked him with iron bars and bamboos.
Having obtained control of the launch, the pirates set about to pillage, their booty
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Acting Viceroy Hu.
Canton, July 11, 1907. IN continuation of my despatch of the 10th instant, reporting the piracy of the British launch "Ki Cheung," I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I am now in receipt of telegraphic instructions from His Majesty's Minister to urgently press for the immediate arrest of the pirates concerned and for the promptest payment in full of the losses sustained by the launch, her crew, and passengers.
It hardly requires that I should point out to your Excellency that this act of piracy on a British launch at so short a distance from Canton is of the most barefaced description, and is proof positive of the inability of the Provincial Government to protect peaceful British traders. The vessel being British the attack is in violation of the requirements of international law, and full compensation is therefore due. Any argument that the passengers were Chinese subjects will not hold good; they were in a British launch and have therefore to look to the British authorities for proper protection and redress, should that protection not be vouchsafed to them.
I have accordingly the honour to request that your Excellency will issue immediate
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