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authorities, that the Pearl River would be closed shortly
to traffic at nights, and that all guides to navigation
beacons, lights and buoys would be removed. On
September 8th this information was sent to me officially
and brought into force on September 9th. Normally river
vessels leave Hong Kong about 10.00 p.m. and arrive at
Canton at 6.00 a.m. Under the new restriction such vessels
could not leave Hong Kong before about 6.00 a.m. and arrive
at Canton before 2.30 to 6 p.m. Thanks to the admirable
In
co-operation of the Commissioner of Customs, Mr. L.K. Little,
an American citizen, who made arrangements so to alter
normal Customs hours and facilities as to permit the river
steamèrs to discharge and load cargo between time of arrival
and departure the following morning at 8, this first
restriction resulted only in a minor inconvenience.
practice, coasting vessels do not enter at nights and were
unaffected. The removal of lights buoys and other aids
to navigation were in practice merely painted grey and were
never removed made no difference up to the trained masters
and pilota concerned. On matters up to this stage I
reported fully in my despatah No. 125 of September 10th
(No. 49 to Foreign Office).
5.
On September 13th traffic in certain areas was
forbidden both by day and night. Again on September 16th
further minor restrictions were imposed, and on September
22nd further channels (in the West River) were blocked.
(It might be now stated that all direct entrances to the
West River are closed. All vessels for that river are
obliged to pass Bocca Tigris, and after passing the existing
barrier (see paragraph 10 below) proceed to the West River
by
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