the continuance of piratical acts against our flag, would be followed by prompt action by us.
3. Their Lordships will notice that we were received at the Wai-wu Pu by his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai, and on account of his personality and high position, Sir John Jordan regarded his presence as an indication that the Chinese Government attached importance to the interview. His Excellency, having only recently assumed office, was presumably not intimately aquainted with the piracy question, nor with the history of the proposed scheme for its suppression, but he seemed to be very much in earnest, and to have every intention of dealing energetically with the matter.
4. Apparently the failure of the Chinese Government to carry out its undertaking to place the four armed launches under the control of the Customs in the river has been due to the active opposition of the late Viceroy Tsen, who consistently disobeyed the wishes of the Central Government, Tsen has now been recalled, and a new Viceroy appointed, and, before taking further action, I propose on my return to Hong Kong to take an early opportunity to call on the latter to ascertain his views and intentions, and to repeat to him what I have already conveyed to his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai regarding the duty which will fall upon me should the Chinese Government be unable to afford protection to those trading under the British flag in Chinese waters.
5. With respect to the action to be taken, I have already pointed out to their Lordships the possibility of properly policing the waters of the Canton Delta without suitable vessels; but as the representations of the British Minister at Peking and His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Canton have been so far ignored, I am of opinion that it has become a necessity to bring home to the Chinese Government that we are in earnest. If my interview with the new Viceroy is productive of no results, or if another vessel under the British flag is pirated, I propose to send the "Cadmus," "Clio," and "Alacrity" to Canton, to patrol the Canton River with torpedo-boat destroyers, and to patrol the Canton Delta with four torpedo-boats commissioned for the purpose, supplemented by two or three picket-boats. If such action is taken promptly when the occasion arises it may have the effect of making the Chinese Government rise to the situation, and if they carry out their engagement to provide the four launches under Customs control, they will be taking effective measures in the right direction.
6. A recent Report by the Senior Naval Officer in the West River, giving the present state of affairs as regards the piracy question, and offering suggestions for the policing of the waterways around Canton should the British Government decide to assume the responsibility, is inclosed. I concur in Lieutenant and Commander Vaughan's remarks that only by the provision of the suggested additional force could the policing be effectively carried out.
7. I expect to be free to visit the new Viceroy at Canton about the third week in November, and would be glad to receive a telegram as to their Lordships' approval or otherwise in regard to the proposed action should the occasion arise, observing that the approaching concentration of the squadron in Mirs Bay for battle practice affords a convenient opportunity to put it into effect.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
PIRACY IN THE CANTON DELTA.
A. W. MOORE.
Minutes of Interview at the Wai-wu Pu, Peking, September 24, 1907.
Sir John Jordan, His Britannic Majesty's
Minister.
Present:
Secretary C. H. Rowe, R.N. Yuan Shib Kai. Liang Tun-Yen. En Hou.
Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur W. Moore. Mr. Meyers, Secretary of Legation.
AFTER conversing on general topics for a short time, the British Minister introduced the subject of the interview by remarking that Admiral Moore had taken the
opportunity of his passing through Peking, on his way to the Upper Yang-tsze, to request this interview with the Wai-wu Pu, as he wished to ascertain what the Chinese Govern- ment had done and intended to do in regard to the proposals for the suppression of piracy in the Canton Delta, which had been so long under discussion,
The Admiral informed his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai that he had recently received a telegram from the Admiralty calling his attention to the constantly recurring acts of piracy committed against vessels trading under the British flag in the waterways around Canton, and the Admiralty had asked him what action he proposed to take to secure the protection of the flag against such outrages in the future. He had replied that, before taking definite action in the matter, he desired to confer with His Britannic Majesty's Minister, and to ascertain, by a personal interview with the Wai-wa Pu, what the Chinese Government's intentions were; and it was with the latter object that he sought the present meeting. His Excellency said he could assure the Admiral that the matter was engaging the serious attention of the Government, and had been for some time past, as they recognized that such a state of lawlessness was not only harmful to foreign interests, but to Chinese interests as well.
The Admiral pointed out that the British squadron was intended primarily for the protection of British interests in the Far East, and that as Commander-in-chief of that squadron it was his duty to see that such protection was afforded. The recent piracy of the "Ki-Cheong" was a particularly outrageous affair, in that it was done close to Canton and under the very eyes of the authorities; and he regarded the throwing over- board of the passengers as an insult to the British flag, under which they were sailing. With a view to the prevention of such outrages in future, he was already moving his ships southwards, so that, if the local authorities were unable or unwilling to deal with the situation, he might be prepared to take energetic action himself,
His Excellency said he quite recognized the seriousness of the recent affair, and the urgency of the whole question. The seeming inaction of the last few weeks was due to the change of Viceroys at Canton. He himself was of the opinion that the suppression of piracy rested mainly in the hands of the Viceroy; if that official made up his mind to stamp it out, he had the power and the means to do so, The newly-appointed Viceroy had received instructions to take the matter in hand without delay, and the Chinese Government felt sure that a general improvement in the situation would result.
The Admiral asked whether the Viceroy's instructions included directions to put the scheme for placing armed launches, under Customs control, in the river into execution, a scheme which he himself had from the first advocated, and which he felt sure was essential for the effective patrol of the river.
The British Minister explained to his Excellency the details of the scheme referred to by the Admiral. In addition to the placing of fourteen new armed launches in the river under the control of the Viceroy, the scheme included the provision of four arined launches which were to be officered by Europeans and to be under the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs, a representative of the Viceroy being placed on board each, He had urged this scheme repeatedly during the past year, and the Central Government had given him their undertaking that it should be carried out.
It was true that the Viceroy had purchased the fourteen armed launches, but they were inferior vessels and not of suitable type. As regards the four armed launches which were to be placed under Customs' control, notwithstanding his repeated repre- sentations, and the fact that the Wai-wn Pu had given him their assurance that they should be provided, and the Revenue Council had agreed to find the money, nothing had been done. He had no doubt but that his Excellency would find in the archives a record of the approval of the Government to the scheme.
The Admiral supported the Minister's statement by remarking that when he saw Viceroy Chou Fu at Canton in the spring the latter had informed him that the scheme had been approved, and that the four launches would be placed in the river.
His Excellency said that general instructions had been given to the new Viceroy to deal with the piracy question. As regards the Custoins-controlled launches, he would look up the records on the subject. Personally, as before stated, he considered that the suppression of piracy rested in the hands of the Viceroy. The pirates were really robbers, who came from the shore and returned to their haunts after committing their depredations. He thought, therefore, that their capture could best be effected by the shore authorities, and he did not think that four launches more or less in such a long stretch of river could have much effect one way or the other, no matter by whom they were officered. The Admiral said he could not agree in his Excellency's views. He thought the presence of the launches would intimidate the pirates and act as a deterrent.
In any case it was of importance that the pirates should, if possible, be 12732 -2
B 2
534
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.