CO129-385 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 297

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BRITISH LEGATION DEC II

PEKING.

November 16th, 1911.

Sir:-

With reference to my Despatch No. 394 of the 10th

ultimo on the subject of piracy on the West River, I

have the honour to enclose copy of a further Despatch

from His Majesty's Consul at Wuchow in which he reports

the requests repeatedly made to the local and provincial

authorities for a more thoroughgoing search for the

remaining pirates implicated in the "Chit On" case and

for the recovery of the stolen property the bulk of

which is still missing.

This case discloses a state of things on the West

River which will have to be very materially remedied

before the River can be pronounced reasonably safe for

foreign commerce, but the Province of Kuangsi having

declared its independence the Imperial authority no

longer runs there and it would be useless to press this

matter further upon the Central Government in present

circumstances.

I have &c.,

(Signed) J.N. Jordan.

Right Honourable

Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P.

&C., &C « ; &C.,