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closure!.
CONFIDENTIAL.
25
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 30th. March, 1914.
179
sir,
I have the honour to transmit for your informa- -tion the enclosed extract from the "Hongkong Daily Press* of the 17th. instant giving an account of an act of piracy committed upon the Norwegian Steamer "Childar", 1,102 tons, trading between this Port, Swatow, and Bangkok, by Chinese pirates who embarked at Hongkong in the guise of passengers.
2.
The vessel cleared at the Harbour Office at 11.25 a.m. on Saturday the 14th. instant for Swatow with 50 passengers (Chinese) and no cargo. It transpires that she did not sail till Sunday morning when, after she had been visited by the Police, she took on board 200 more Chinese passengers. This constitutes an offence against the Merchant Shipping Ordinance for which the Master is being prosecuted.
3.
It is also reported that a District Watchman who was on board the vessel, just before she sailed, for the pre- -vention of offences under the Women and Girls' Protection Ordi- -nance, drew the attention of the Chinese Compradore of the ship to the presence of many Chinese passengers who had no luggage. No heed was paid to this significant circumstance which should have aroused suspicion on the part of the Compradore.
4.
Fortunately this District Watchman has been able to indicate the district to which these suspicious passengers belonged by the nature of their speech. His evidence on this
HE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,
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