107
11. The men who are in the best position to judge of the most suitable form of defence for any particular ship are surely her own officers, who not only know their ship, and the practical working of her, but also are those who will perhaps risk their lives, should the anti-piracy precautions fail.
12. Grilles. The next section of the Report deals with grilles and advocates their abolition, stressing the point that they contravene the Board of Trade regulations with regard to free access to the Life Boats. Here again it is a case for deciding upon the most suitable positions for grilles to be placed in individual ships. There can be no doubt that grilles intelligently placed may be of great value, while badly placed grilles may not only contravene the Board of Trade Regulations, but also actually may assist the pirates, by giving a false sense of security.
13. Guards. The Report states that "it is the unanimous opinion of ship owners and officers that guards could and should be dispensed with". This appears to me a very extraordinary statement, and, so far as the officers examined by the Commission were concerned, not entirely borne out. Of course, the quality of the guards, and their dis- position about the ship both on duty and off duty enters the problem considerably. The fact that so far they have never succeeded in preventing a piracy is certainly a strong point in the "Minority Report's argument: but I cannot help thinking that a system of sentries would be one of the most efficacious obstacles to Internal piracy, if men of the right type could be produced. There can be no doubt that the present system of dual control of the guards is most unsatisfactory from the point of view of the sea-going ship.
14. Police Search.-The Report next considers Police search, which is considered inadequate. Police search undoubtedly militates against successful piracy, and if it could be carried out efficiently at every port of call might prove a very serious obstacle, but Hong Kong, and possibly Bangkok and Kwong Chow Wan, being the only ports where it is carried out at all, the pirates can and do embark at any other port in China. It is no good therefore relying on Police search to stop piracy. Would the owners be prepared to sacrifice the time, which would be necessary to detain ships, while the last stages of the thorough search advocated are carried out?
15. Convoy System.-The Report points out that the convoy system is not entirely valueless, but that it is a serious interference with Trade, and unfair to companies which have fast craft. These remarks do not apply to the class of piracy, under special con- sideration, viz., Internal piracy in sea-going ships, as it is clearly impracticable. In the river it has been superseded by a system of patrols, which I understand is working satis- factorily at present.
16. Wireless. The report approves of fitting wireless to all passenger ships. There is no doubt that wireless is of value in reporting piracies or attempted piracies, or for warning ships of information being received after they have sailed of pirates being on board. It is possible that it can be further utilised to advantage in conjunction with an "automatic" transmitter, or by the introduction of "Negative" reports: but I do not see that it carries us much further towards the prevention of piracy.
17. On continuous discharge papers and also 24 hours articles I do not consider myself qualified to express an opinion.
18. The Report's conclusion that "once pirates know that......they will be unable to get away piracy will cease" is presumably correct, which leads to a consideration of the question of patrols.
19. Patrols.-The Report states, "An efficient service of patrols would not merely protect commerce from attacks from without, but would also act as an absolute deterrent from attacks from within". Attacks from without do not occur to sea-going ships.
20. I fail to see how patrols are going to prevent piracy from within. Presumably it is not intended to suggest patrolling the whole 1438 miles from here to Singapore and the 1396 miles from here to Taku, as that is manifestly impossible. In any case there is nothing to shew patrolling craft that a ship is in the hands of pirates, unless by wireless she has been able to give the alarm, and summon the nearest patrol to her assistance.