CO129-346 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [1-3] — Page 36

NFIDENTIAL.

Hongkong.

C.01

45.89.

Rego 8 Feb. 1908

My Lord,

34

Government House,

Hongkong, 8th. January, 1908.

Though the question of the

Registration of Steam Vessels plying in the Inland Waters

of China is one which does not primarily concern Your

Lordship's Department of State, it is not entirely un-

-connected with the interests of this Colony, and is

associated with the question of Piracy in Canton Waters.

It has therefore seemed to me that Your Lordship may

desire to have in brief form the gist of the matter at

issue.

2.

Every steam-vessel (with certain

exceptions (Merchant Shipping Act, Section 3) which are

further extended by local Ordinance) which is British

owned (and the term includes vessels owned by Chinese

Companies registered in Hongkong even though the owners

are not British subjects, as well as all vessels owned by

British subjects of whatever race) is bound (under the

RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE EARL OF ELGIN, K.G.,

Merchant

80.1

80.,

&C