CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928 — Page 67

67

energetically pursued. I regret to say that

nothing of this kind has, in fact, been done as

yet, and the piracy last month of a Chine Merchants'

steamer by a Bias Bay gang shows that, if any action

at all was taken, it was ineffectual. This last

piracy occurred immediately before the retum of

Marshal Li Chai-sum through Hong Kong to Canton in

April last; and, while he was in Hong Kong, both he

and General Taui again came to see me, and I handed

over to them personally the particulars of this

last outrage and urged upon then the necessity for

taking immediate and drastic steps to suppress Bias

Bay pirates. They both once more assured me that

such steps would be taken without delay; and I

impressed it upon them that action afloat would not,

in my opinion, suffice, but that there must be

Theyfully

systematic operations ashore, contimed over a

period of neveral weeks. They fully agreed and

said that much action would be token,

In these circumstances, I consider that, if

another outrage should be perpetrated upon a

British steamer by Bias Bay pirates, it would be

necessary, before taking independent punitive steps

ourselves, to approach the Canton Government through

His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, and request the

Cantonese Authorities to take immediate punitive

mecsures, while offering then at the same time the

Naval, and "ilitary

co-operation of His Vajesty's/forces in such an

expedition. It would only be in the event of the

Cantonese authorities refusing our co-operation and

failing to take any effective measures themselves that

we should in my opinion be justified in acting

independently