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It appears therefore that the Board of Trade, in spite of the prominence given to the risks involved, has found it unnecessary to enter any protest against the grilles since their institution in 1914.
The absence of any other serious criticism, together with the consensus of opinion that the system has advantages as an anti-piracy measure, lead the Commission to the conclusion that the value of the grilles for this purpose may override the possible conflict with the Board of Trade Instructions. The risks involved by grilles may easily be exag- gerated, for it is hardly conceivable that all the grille doors should be suddenly and simultaneously jambed or deserted and so become unopenable; moreover lifeboats are commonly swung out and partially lowered before passengers are embarked. But it is necessary to enter the proviso that no standard plan of grilles can be devised to suit all ships alike adaptation to each separate design is essential.
2. Fortified Bridge.
The events on the s.s. "Sunning" emphasised two points. Firstly, that if grilles are to be used, they must be unscaleable, as in this case the pirates appear to have scal- ed the forward grille to gain access to the upper decks and the bridge. The Commission here finds signs of the over-dependence on the Government Regulations and of the lack of co-operation which is one of the weaknesses of the present system; for it should not be necessary to wait for examination by the "Scheme of Defence Committee" before mak- ing improvements, such as are obviously desirable. Additional strength could also have been given to the grille defence by the incorporation of steel plates and dodgers; an ex- pedient which deserves more careful consideration than it at present appears to receive.
The second lesson, and one of outstanding importance, to be learnt from the ex- perience of the "Sunning" is the value of a protected bridge.
The
The recovery of a ship already in complete charge of the pirates was effected en- tirely from a completely undefended bridge, very lightly manned. The centre castle grilles had been forced, and were of no further value to the defence, if indeed they ever had the whole value attributed to them. Grilles enclosing such a wide area have obvious weaknesses; doors have to be continually opened and shut, the guards are out of sight of the officer of the watch, and, even in the most favourable conditions of preparedness, the numbers normally available for defence are too small for efficient protection of such an extended line of defence against a determined attack. They may conceivably afford valu- able assistance, they can for instance form a first line of defence for the officers' quarters and the 1st class cabins; but the principle of the fortified citadel formulated in the re- port of the Commissioners on the "Sui An" Piracy has now been put to the severest practical test, and while it has been justified has also been more closely defined. unfortified bridge of the s.s. "Sunning" proved itself impregnable; and failing control of only this part of the ship, the whole plan of the pirates was completely defeated. Given a fortified bridge, with guards at the entrances under the eye of the officer of the watch, a surprise is hardly possible; and it may be safely surmised, that pirates, whose only object it is to get away with the booty, would even hesitate to plan an attack if they saw such a serious obstacle in the way of success. Even with control of the engine room it would be difficult for them to direct the ship to their lair; and if they could succeed in running aground (easily possible in the case of river steamers), they are still under fire from the bridge in attempting to escape. And meanwhile it has been possible for the officers on the bridge to continue sending out signals of distress, in the hope of receiving assistance at most within a few hours.
This principle of a fortified bridge is in fact the one adopted by the River Steamers; for it is almost necessitated by the design. Guards at the entrances are con- tinuously under the eye of the officer of the watch and all the arms are within the grilled bridge. It was consistently maintained that the bridge so defended could not be surpris- ed and could be held indefinitely even by two officers. And it is from these steamers so protected that the Commission received evidence of satisfaction with the system in force. Generally speaking confidence in the value of the grille system was shewn by the officers of River Steamers-in striking contrast to the officers of coastal ships-and efforts in some cases were even made to elaborate it, as by a proper arrangement of the lights on the boat deck and the after grilles.