The Viceroy at Canton reports the summary execution of a number of offenders. On the Canton coast, particularly in the districts of P'anyii, Nanhai and Shunté, there are many villages which are neither more nor less than regular nests of pirates, Their inhabitants rob, levy blackmail, carry off prisoners, and openly resist the government troops. Two. and a half years ago General Fang Yao was entrusted with the task of dealing with these villages and those of similar character in Bsiangshan, Hsinhui. After his death in the sixth month of last year he was succeded by Colonel Huang Chinfu, who continued to work on the same lines, visiting the villages, availing himself of the services of the chief householders, and employing the district flotillas to effect arrests. From the sixth to the ninth month seventy-six prisoners were taken, tried, found guilty and executed, as has already been reported by the memorialist, Between the tenth and the twelfth months inclusive there have been handed over by the headmen, or arrested by the troops, thirty-three more offenders, all of whom have been proved. constantly to have committed the crimes mentioned
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.