41
HONGKONG.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF ANTI-PIRACY COMMITTEE.
No
11 1914
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, July 30th, 1914.
OCEAN GOING STEAMSHIPS.
1. These recommendations to apply to all steamers carrying Chinese passengers and clearing for Swatow, Amoy, Kwong Chau Wan, Hoihow or Haiphong.
2. The steamers should be searched by police as follows
—
:
(a.) Steamers lying alongside wharves.-Police should search all passengers and the luggage they are allowed access to during the voyage, at the wharf before embarking. Passengers should not be allowed to embark on the off side. Any passengers who embark before police arrive for search (if this cannot be prevented) to be searched on board the ship as soon as the police arrive. Ship's guards also to search passengers and crew. (b.) Steamers lying in the stream. As soon as cargo and passengers are all on board, the police should search passengers and whatever baggage they may have with them. The steamer to leave immediately the search is com- pleted. In order to avoid possible delay, steamers should inform the police of the time at which they expect cargo and passengers to be all on board, and hoist the International Code Signal U. J. M.I am ready for sea, if completed before police arrive. If at this time the police find the ship not ready this ship may lose its turn. Guards to assist in searching passengers
and to search the crew.
3. Provision of armed guards.-At least four non-Chinese guards should be employed on board each ship. Their duty is especially to protect the bridge and wheel house. They should also see that the crew do not smuggle arms or ammunition. These guards to he armed with serviceable weapons (Winchesters or revolvers) and to be trained in the use of such. They should also carry whistles. Police trained guards are advocated.
4. Officers to be armed.-Both deck and engine room officers on duty to be armed with pistols or revolvers, ready for immediate use. Two rifles at least of approved pattern should be kept on the bridge deck loaded for use. Sporting guns are also useful in repelling an attack, but the fact that they only carry two cartridges, as a rule, is against their usefulness.
5. Signalling apparatus.-Rockets and blue lights should be ready, double the minimum number required by Board of Trade Regulatious should be carried. Blue lights are useful at night especially when the lights are extinguished. The use of Verey lights is recommended. They are ready for immediate use, and the persons firing them do not have to expose themselves as is often necessary when firing rockets. Repeated long blasts ou the whistle or syren should be used in the daytime if attacked.
6.—(«.) Grilles and dodgers.-When in danger zone the only access to the engine room and stokehold should be from the bridge deck. All other entrances being locked up. The bridge and wheel house should be fortified by double grilles and dodgers, to the satisfac- tion of the Harbour Master. The only access from below to the guarded area on the bridge deck should be in the rear of such grilles.
(b.) The use of barbed wire is recommended to stop any climbing up the sides of the ship, expanded metal is very useful for grilles in front of dodgers to stop rushes.
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