CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 604

Copy.

No: 208.

Sir,

597

British Legation,

Peking.

May 22nd, 1914.

I have the honour to forward to you here-

with copies of despatches from His Majesty's Consul General at Canton and of correspondence with the Wai

Chiao Pu relative to the piratical attack on the

Chinese owned Steamship "Tai On" flying the British

flag at the entrance of the West River on April

27th lsst.

In the middle of March the Norwegian

Steamer "Childar" was pirated under somewhat similar circumstances in Bias Bay, East of Hongkong; and,

being charged with Norwegian interests in China, I

made serious representations to the Chinese Govern-

ment on the subject. It must be admitted that in

both cases some blame seems to attach to the Masters

of these Vessels in allowing on board unlimited

passenger runners, cargo brokers, and others, and in

receiving at the last moment large numbers of

passengers in excess of the figure permitted by the Regulations. Many of these passengers, if not,

actually pirates themselves, prove to be at any rate in very close league with them.

After preparatory discussions, I took

advantage of the presence in Peking of Vice-Admiral

Sir T.H. Jerram to press the question of these

piracies