Your Ref. HKK 14/1
in Confidence.
"
"Thatch Cottage."
Trehaddle. Cusgarne. Truro. Cornwall.
32
Mr A.C. Stuart.
Hong Kong & India Ocean Depertment. Foreign and Commonwealth office. London. S.W.I.
Cuan M. Stanul
29th Jan. 1975.
RECISTS N.
-3B1975
AKK 14/1
It was good of you to reply to my letter 17th January, and send a copy to John Prendergast. It seems from the last news matters are going well at his end,with the fresh development for another offender to appear before the court.
I appreciate all you say about parting company with me on the matter of obtaining quick results. I agree about keeping action within the law and I realise new legislation takes time to obtain.
What had in mind was that once major enquiries have been made to make firm plans for re-organisation, to include a drive to put the vice dens out of action, that from experience gained in Shanghai it is of vital importance to go all out with speedy action to complete the drive. This being essential to stop doubts arising and to create the desired impact upon all concerned, that old bad habits are out for good. I appreciate your views also of the need to watch that morale does not suffer. The re-action we got in Shanghai was that morale improved progressively to an all time high and with this, the overall efficiency.
As foreigners in the International Settlement of Shanghai enjoyed Extraterritorial Rights in China, to be tried in courts of their nationality, we read a great deal of law. There were six Chinese courts with Chinese Judges sitting. The cooperation we got from these Consular Courts and the Chinese courts was always fast and strongly in our favour, as we were coping with crime waves resulting from the presence of warlike Japanese and Chinese armies. Gunmen came in many forms to include terrorists and political assassins. Shooting affrays were common occurrences. Police casualities caused concerne Much extra time was worked by the police and overtime was not paid. Even so the morale remained high. I am sure that if the re-organisation had not taken place, which prepared us to meet this situation, matters would have been very serious by way of maintaining law and order. A point for those in the higher positions in Hong Kong to bear in mind.
We were of course operating with a normal peacetime force of some 6,000 officers all armed, policing some 3 millions in the International Settlement. The entire population of Shanghai was then about 6, millions including Chinese Territory and French Concession. We took the brunt of the 1932 and 1937 Sino-Japanese Shanghai hostilities very well, proving that the timely re-organisation was right. I should mention we enjoyed strong support by way of the Chinese, in fact they made it clear they were proud of their police force. It was common for them to assist police when offenders gave trouble.