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452 of repressing piracy, measures were taken by the Governor (Ordinance 2 of 1868 and 2 of 1870), to provide, in conjunction with similar measures to be enacted in Canton by the Chinese Authorities, the disarmament of all Chinese trading and fishing junks. But as the Viceroy of Canton, who at first had promised to issue the same order, failed to do so and, when questioned, declared it impossible to enforce such a law, the measure was abandoned. Another measure devised by Sir Richard proved a great help towards suppressing piracy, viz. the establishment of a combination of Harbour Office and Police Office duties, entrusted to the Police Inspectors at Yaumati, Aberdeen, Stanley, Shaukiwan and at East Point (Whitfield Station).

The good results of the foregoing measures were obvious. From September, 1866, to October 1867 not one piratical attack on European vessels occurred and out of 18 cases of piracy reported by Chinese junk owners, most were comparatively trivial. During the two years immediately preceding 1st January, 1867, no fewer than 92 men were tried for piracy, attended in most cases with violence or murder, whereas during the two years (1867 and 1868), immediately following, only 15 men were tried for that crime, and not one single trial for piracy took place during the years 1869 and 1870.

Commerce in the Far East had, at the beginning of this period, received an extraordinary impetus through the opening of the Suez Canal (April 10, 1865), which filled the godowns of Hongkong and the Treaty ports to overflowing, increased the volume and revolutionized the methods of trade, without however increasing its profitableness. In the year 1866, the foreign trade with China amounted to nearly £95,000,000. The share of Great Britain in that trade amounted to no less than £71,518,723 or nearly 63 per cent. of the whole, and for this colossal trade, to which must be added the Colony's trade with Japan, amounting in 1867 to £6,000,000, Hongkong now served as the principal emporium.

The history of local commerce during this period commenced indeed with good omens for the future. The spirit of enterprise