CO129-392 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [9-10] — Page 333

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Interview with the Covernor of lacao on 7th. October,1912.

[Arc 23 NOV 12;

H. E. Sanches de Miranda spoke at enormous length on the subject of the Wong Kun pirates. The burden of his remarks was that there were no pirates at Wong Kum and that the Chinese Authorities had informed me that there were pirates there with the object of creating trouble for Portugal, and in order to take action them- -selves which would hereafter assist them in their claim to the

island. He then proceeded to contradict his contention that there were no pirates by asserting that when the joint Chinese and Por- -tuguese Expedition had been decided upon, the Chinese had deliberately made the fact public in order that the pirates might escape. He alleged that the Chinese were too cowardly to meet

the pirates.

He inveighed at great length against the Canton Govern- -ment and especially against the Secretary for Foreign Affairs,

Mr. Lo.

I found it impossible to get a word in until the Governor had exhausted his subject, which took him about 1 hours.

I then told him that I had not Lot my information from

the Chinese Authorities and that the fact that the Island was a

head-quarters of pirates was proved by the fact that no less than 6 Chinese had been forcibly carried away by pirates from the Colony of Hongkong and had been held to ransom on Wong Kum. I told him that 2 of these men had accompanied the Chinese force on the recent joint expedition and had identified the place where they had been detained. I said that it was a great pity the pirates had got wind of the expedition and I asked him what steps be proposed to take to prevent the islands of Wong Kum Tai (Monta- -nha) and Wong Kum Sai (Don João) from being again infested with

pirates.

He said he proposed to put a garrison on the East ends

of each island. He invited the Chinese to put garrisons on the

West ends of each i island but has had no reply. He said he

intended to put the Portuguese troops there any way.

CARIANISTA KARENA DE LAS PARA ALAKANGAZA WANAOKOAP THE

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