"Sainam" claim would of course form the first condition of a settlement, and I asked for his views and those of Sir A. Moore.
On the following day you telegraphed to me that Reuter's correspondent reported meetings of Chinese in protest against the British patrol, and urging the boycott of British vessels. That the presence of British gun-boats in force on the Canton waters has caused some public feeling is shown by articles in the native press of which two, cited by His Majesty's Consul at Wuhu, in the despatch copy of which I have the honour to inclose, may serve as a specimen. Their inflammatory character will show, without commentary, the dangerous tendency which is being provoked by the newspapers at the present time.
From the reply of His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, which was telegraphed to you direct on the 23rd December, it appears, however, that there is no danger at present of a boycott being instituted.
As regards the question of vessels under Customs control, both the Admiral and His Majesty's Consul-General have signified their concurrence with my view that nothing is to be gained under present conditions by continuing to press this demand, provided the "Sainam" claim is paid and a satisfactory Chinese scheme is evolved. Mr. Mansfield, with the concurrence of Admiral Moore, suggests further that the threat to withdraw the Arms Ordinance in Hong Kong should now be made, if delay is experienced in effecting a settlement. I am, however, privately told by the Wai-wu Pu that the "Sainam" claim will be paid, and doubt if we should be justified yet in threatening a measure which would probably tend to increase the revolutionary strength of the provincials, rather than to assist the Central Government in bringing pressure to bear on the Viceroy.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
(No. 59.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan.
Canton, November 19, 1907.
REFERRING to my telegrams Nos. 55 and 58 of the 28th ultimo and 14th instant, reporting the piracies of the steam-launches "Wing Fat," and "Hong Fu," I have the honour to inclose herewith, copies and translations of my despatches to the Viceroy of the 6th and 15th instant, and of his Excellency's replies of the 15th and 16th November.
The date of the "Wing Fat" piracy was the 23rd October, and not as originally reported by telegraph.
Heavy rains have seriously damaged the autumn rice crop, which bade fair to be a good one, and it is to be feared that in the absence of energetic measures of suppression, there will be an increase of these outrages.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Viceroy of Canton.
Canton, November 15, 1907.
I HAVE again to report to you the piracy of another British launch, the "Hong Fu," which was pirated on the 10th instant in the Waichow district at Ying-t'ou, close to the scene of the attack on the steam-launch "Hong Tat" on the 15th ultimo. Two passengers were killed and the losses in money, clothing, &c., were some 200 dollars.
It does not seem possible to me that your Excellency can entertain any doubt as to the necessity for the adoption of effective measures aiming at the suppression of these repeated outrages. No good results will, I am convinced, be obtained until an efficient patrol by water is established and the civil and military officials on land are compelled under pain of severe penalties to root out these desperadoes from their haunts on shore. In so far as the water patrol is concerned, His Majesty's Government have, through their Representatives, repeatedly urged upon the Imperial Chinese Government and previous Viceroys the advisability and necessity for placing properly manned cruisers of sufficient speed and armament under the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs to patrol the waterways and lend effective assistance in suppressing the bad characters which now infest them. The advice is good and is given in the best interests of the Provincial Government. I trust then that your Excellency will accept it in the spirit in which it is given and follow it.
It is my duty to ask you to secure the arrest of the pirates and the recovery of the property stolen in this case; failing the latter, I must hold the Provincial Government responsible for adequate compensation.
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Viceroy of Canton.
Canton, November 6, 1907.
I REGRET to have again to report to you a further piracy, that of the British launch "Wing Fat," which occurred in the Kongmoon district at about 1:30 in the morning of the 23rd October. The launch was returning from Yung-kee with eight silk boats in tow, and was pirated between Huang-niu-lan and Ma-ning. The pirates approached and attacked in two Chinese launches, the "Wai Lee" and "Cheung Lee," of which they had previously taken possession, and I understand that a French launch, the "Lee Hung," was also pirated by them. The robbers are said to have landed at Kou-kao-hou, near Sui-lam, and the booty secured from the "Wing Fat" and her tows amounted to over 10,000 taels, chiefly the proceeds of silk cocoons sold.
(Translation.)
Viceroy of Canton to Consul-General Mansfield.
Canton, November 13, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 6th instant reporting the piracy of the British launch "Wing Fat." The matter was reported to me first by the Commissioner of Customs, and instructions were at once issued for the speedy arrest of the pirates. The Commander of the torpedo-boat "Lei Teng," patrolling that section of the river, was also deprived of his command, but his services retained until the pirates are captured. The Colonel and Magistrate of the Shun-tak district have now reported the capture of two of the pirates, viz., Ch'en Shih-jung and Mai Tien-kai, and stated that they are being strictly interrogated to discover the hiding-place of the ringleaders and their confederates, and that when this is ascertained measures will be taken to secure their capture. On the receipt of this intelligence I again issued strict orders to the officials concerned to secure the arrest of the whole gang, punish them, and recover the property stolen for restoration to the owners.
I avail, &c.
Page 32
2
"Sainam" claim would of course form the first condition of a settlement, and 1 asked for his views and those of Sir A. Moore.
On the following day you telegraphed to me that Reuter's correspondent reported meetings of Chinese in protest against the British patrol, and urging the boycott of British vessels. That the presence of British gun-boats in force on the Canton waters has caused some public feeling is shown by articles in the native press of which two, cited by His Majesty's Consul at Wuhu, in the despatch copy of which I have the honour to inclose, may serve as a specimen. Their inflammatory character will show, without commentary, the dangerous tendency which is being provoked by the newspapers at the present time.
From the reply of His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, which was telegraphed to you direct on the 23rd December, it appears, however, that there is no danger at present of a boycott being instituted.
>>
As regards the question of vessels under Customs control, both the Admiral and His Majesty's Consul-General have signified their concurrence with my view that nothing is to be gained under present conditions by continuing to press this demand, provided the "Sainam claim is paid and a satisfactory Chinese scheme is evolved. Mr. Mansfield, with the concurrence of Admiral Moore, suggests further that the threat to withdraw the Arms Ordinance in Hong Kong should now be made, if delay is experienced in effecting a settlement. I am, however, privately told by the Wai-wu Pu that the "Sainam claim will be paid, and doubt if we should be justified yet in threatening a measure which would probably tend to increase the revolutionary strength of the provincials, rather than to assist the Central Government in bringing pressure to bear on the Viceroy.
I have, &c.
(No. 59.) Sir,
(Signed)
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. JORDAN.
Canton, November 19, 1907. REFERRING to my telegrams Nos, 55 and 58 of the 28th nltimo and 14th instant, reporting the piracies of the steam-launches "Wing Fat," and "Hong Fu," I have the honour to inclose herewith, copies and translations of my despatches to the Viceroy of the 6th and 15th instant, and of his Excellency's replies of the 15th and 16th November.
The date of the Wing Fat" piracy was the 23rd October, and not as originally reported by telegraph.
Heavy rains have seriously damaged the autumn rice crop, which bade fair to be a good one, and it is to be feared that in the absence of energetic measures of suppression, there will be an increase of these outrages.
I have, &c.
C
3
This is a further proof of the desperate character of these pirates, also of the inability of the Provincial Government to successfully cope with them. Your Excellency, in your replies of the 26th and 29th October on the subject of the "Sainam," Kicheung," "Hong Tat," and "Tung Feng" piracies, denies the liability of the Provincial Government to pay compensation. This is not the view of His Majesty's Government, and if the property stolen in this case is not received, I must hold your Excellency's Government responsible for the losses sustained. I have the honour to urge also upon your Excellency the necessity of making every effort to secure the arrest of these desperadoes.
I avail, &c.
"
Your Excellency,
(Signed)
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Consul-General Mansfield to Viceroy of Canton.
Canton, November 15, 1907. I HAVE again to report to you the piracy of another British launch, the Hong Fu," which was pirated on the 10th instant in the Waichow district at Ying-t'ou, close to the scene of the attack on the steam-launch "Hong Tat" on the 15th ultimo. Two passengers were killed and the losses in money, clothing, &c., were some 200 dollars.
It does not seem possible to me that your Excellency can entertain any doubt as the necessity for the adoption of effective measures aiming at the suppression of these repeated outrages. No good results will, I am convinced, be obtained until an efficient patrol by water is established and the civil and military officials on land are compelled under pain of severe penalties to root out these desperadoes from their haunts on shore. In so far as the water patrol is concerned, His Majesty's Government have, through their Representatives, repeatedly urged upon the Imperial Chinese Government and previous Viceroys the advisability and necessity for placing properly manned cruisers of sufficient speed and armament under the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs to patrol the waterways and lend effective assistance in suppressing the bad characters which now infest them. The advice is good and is given in the best interests of the Provincial Government. I trust then that your Excellency will accept it in the spirit in which it is
given and follow it.
It is my duty to ask you to secure the arrest of the pirates and the recovery of the property stolen in this case; failing the latter, 1 raust hold the Provincial Government responsible for adequate compensation.
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Your Excellency,
(Signed)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
R. W. MANSFIELD.
Consul-General Mansfied to Viceroy of Canton.
Canton, November 6, 1907. I REGRET to have again to report to you a further piracy, that of the British launch Wing Fat," which occured in the Kongmoon district at about 1:30 in the morning of the 23rd October. The launch was returning from Yung-kee with eight silk boats in two, and was pirated between Huang-niu-lan and Ma-ning. The pirates approached and attacked in two Chinese launches, the " Wai Lee" and Cheung Lee" of which they had previously taken possession, and I understand that a French launch, the "Lee Hung," was also pirated by them. The robbers are said to have landed at Kou-kao-hou, near Sui-lam, and the booty secured from the "Wing Fat" and her tows amounted to over 10,000 taels, chiefly the proceeds of silk cocoons sold.
(Translation.)
Sir,
Viceroy of Canton to Consul-General Mansfield.
Canton, November 13, 1907. I HAVE the bonour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 6th instant reporting the piracy of the British launch "Wing Fat." The matter was reported to me first by the Commissioner of Customs, and instructions were at once issued for the speedy arrest of the pirates. The Commander of the torpedo-boat “Lei Teng," patrolling that section of the river, was also deprived of his command, but his services retained until the pirates are captured. The Colonel and Magistrate of the Shun-tak district have now reported the capture of two of the pirates, viz., Ch'en Shih-jung and Mai Tien-kai, and stated that they are being strictly interrogated to discover the hiding-place of the ringleaders and their confederates, and that when this is ascertained measures will be taken to secure their capture. On the receipt of this intelligence I again issued strict orders to the officials concerned to secure the arrest of the whole gang, punish them, and recover the property stolen for restoration to the owners.
I avail, &c.
32.
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