Tz recent case of piracy on board the steamer Spark, shows how necessary it is in China to be prepared for what may seem the most remote necessity. Most of the present foreign residents in China will have but scant recollection of the state of affairs fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago, however, such an incident a3 that which ocourred on board the Spark would have been looked upon as the most natural thing in the world and on board every steamer voyaging along the coast, which, like the steamers on the Canton waters, babitually took considerable numbers of Chinese passengers, every precaution was taken to prevent such an outbreak. The foreigners and Manila men on board were habitually armed, and the after part of the vessel was formed into a sort of fort, whither the crew could retire in case of danger, and which was generally arranged so as to command as much as possible of tha remainder of the vessel. Fifteen years of immunity from piracy of this particular type had not unnaturally relaxed this continual state of preparedness, and the consequence is that the gangs of scoundrels who always hang about the islands at the mouth of the Canton river, seeing their opportunity, again put their old tricks in practice. During the time of the Arrow troubles in the Canton waters, the action of the mandarins, who openly offered rewards for the persons of foreigners, led to a great development of piracy. The years between 1857 and 1861 were distinguished in Hongkong annals by the number of cases brought before the Courts, and the most strenuous efforts of the British authorities scarcely succeeded in keeping the crime within bounds. After the establishment of more friendly relations with the Chinese Government, and the attainment by the latter of a fleet of serviceable gunboats, the crime of piracy gradually became too dangerous and unprofitable, until at last a long period of immunity sufficed to relax the usual precautions. The old race of pirates has, however, by no means died out. Did the opportunity offer, they would be found in a few months to swarm amongst the islands of Kwangtung in as great numbers as ever. The coolie emigration to South America gave more or less employment to this class of men in the meanwhile,—they acted as kidnappers, or chuchiaros, and confined their attentions mainly to their own countrymen. It was more or less natural that the sudden stoppage of this congenial mode of gaining a livelihood should impel them to return to their old courses, and the Spark, on board which the old precautions had been forgotten, seemed an opportunity specially laid in their path, Unfortunately, the narrow waters of the Canton river are an almost impervious asylum for men guilty of such a crime, Piracy is looked upon there somewhat in the same light as were the depredations of Robin Hood by the English peasantry. It is more or less of a patriotic thing, and, though not to be defended on the grounds of abstract morality, is considered as under the circumstances but venial crime. Clan feeling, too, is strong, much stronger than the law and any villain, however great his crimes, will find those amongst his relatives ready to take up his ground. This state of altairs is embarrassing for the Chinese equally with the Colonial Government, and the former has certainly made efforts to repress any overt crime. It is too weak and too vacillating to cut really at the root of the matter, and shuts its eyes whenever it can to the internal affairs of the villages. Piracy in consequence does not flourish, but the causes at the root of piracy are still fully at work, and whenever any misunderstanding occurs to relax external vigil lance, we may confidently look forward to a return to the state of affairs which prevailed fifteen years ago.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.