CO129-385 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 306

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Majesty's Minister at Peking, dated the 26th September

stating that telegraphic enquiries made of the Govern-

or General at Canton and the Governor of Kuangsi result-

ed in a report from the former to the effect that the

leader of the pirates, Wu Ch'êng chi, had been captured,

the stolen property recovered, and the case amicably

discussed between me and the local magistrate. The

Board added that the capture of the chief of the pirates

and the recovery of the stolen property afforded proof

of the zeal with which the local authorities interpret-

ed the Treaties. I have the honour to observe that only

two pirates have been arrested, and that only $180 was

recovered from Chang Shih yi. The total loss was over

$5,000 and twenty men were engaged in the piracy. For

four months the Taotai has refused to send the deposi-

tions.

I can only observe that the local authorities have

signally failed in their duty and have in no way shewn

their zeal in interpreting the Treaties.

In the "Tien Kong" case, the value of the property

recovered was something over $400 out of a total loss

of over $10,000. These facts show the inability of the

local