103
Some armed protection would still be necessary on board and a proper system of signals to attract the attention of the patrols whilst passing through the intervals between patrol vessels instituted for use in case of need.
One great source of weakness in all attempts to deal with internal piracy is the personnel of the ships. The hands of the Captains should be strengthened as much as possible and inefficient officers got rid of. It is criminal to trust the lives of passengers to officers who are not always in a fit state to deal with any situation that may arise. Similarly the crews should be carefully picked and a proper system of discharge books instituted with a certain system of identification. The compradores have a great deal too much control over matters which should be in the captains hands and the captains' tenure of their appointments on the second class steamers is far too precarious to expect a really efficient and suitable officer to accept command of such steamers.
December, 1924.
APPENDIX RELATING TO INDIAN GUARDS.
11th February, 1924.--s.s. "Wing On".
his rifle down the stokehold.
Guard No. 359 whilst asleep on duty dropped
13th February, 1924.-Guard No 281 discharged after having been under the influence
of drugs for 48 hours.
16th February, 1924.-Guard No. 52 incited the other guards to refuse to carry out their orders and argued with the chief officer with regard to his hours. On February 18th this guard left the ship without notice to the Captain or the Chief Officer.
29th February, 1924.-Guard No. 607 was drunk when the vessel left Hong Kong.
6th March, 1924.-Guard No. 428 was found asleep in a saloon passenger's chair 45
minutes after going on duty.
16th March, 1924.-Guard No. 607 was drunk whilst on duty in Hong Kong and interfer-
ed with the crew, Compradore's staff and the Purser.
February, 1924.-M. V. "Fook Sing". The Captain reported a sergeant to Capt. Blox- ham for insubordination, insolence and mutinous conduct. The sergeant was transferred to another ship.
7th March, 1924. s.s. "Hydrangea". Rolla Khan Indian Guard on this vessel was charged before the Marine Court with being absent from duty. This guard had been granted one hour's leave whilst the vessel was in Swatow and he failed to return before the vessel sailed. This guard was sentenced to one month's im- prisonment with hard labour
11th March, 1924.-s.s. "Sui Taï''.
-s.s. "Sui Tai"'. Guard No. 650 was at 10.50 a.m. found fast asleep whilst on duty on the bridge either under the influence of drugs or drink. This guard had previously been reported.
19th March, 1924.-s.s. "Szechuen". After leaving Canton all the Indian guards who
should have been on duty were found asleep in their bunks.
12th April, 1924.-s.s. "Chung On". Three guards who should have been on duty were found by the Captain asleep in the mess room. On the previous Tuesday one of the guards failed to join the ship before leaving Hong Kong.
20th April, 1924.-s.s. "Borneo". Two Indian Guards went ashore at & p.m. the pre- vious evening and failed to turn up although the Captain kept back the depar- ture of the vessel until 6.35 a.m.