14
NO
d 100
50
..
It would appear from these facts that the safety and well-being of those who maintain the food supply and communications of the Colony is of minor importance, and their opiniona, 19 practical seamen conversant with piracy in its worst aspects, are set at nought by a reversion to the experimental type of legislation which, as an effective counter measure, has already proved abortive.
The attitude adopted by the H.K. Government, of placing the Capt. Supt. of Police in the position of control of matters in which he is purely a layman, in opposition to the wishes and opinions of those whose nautical training and experience fits them to control in a purely professional matter, is not only ludicrous, but is, moreover, calculated to lead to aerious disaffection and render the position no longer tenable from the very fact of its impracticability.
This is espacially noticeable in the persistence with which the undesired guards are forced upon the ships, the Masters of which are, by the Merchant Shipping Acts, and even by the Piracy Regulations themselves, expected to exercise the full con- trol of their vessels.
In this connection the part of the Guilds' letter of 4th February 1924, dealing with these men, may be advantageously extended by the following particulars which, though well known on the China coast, are not immediately apparent to those without local knowledge.
These men are of Sikh nationality and said to have received a military training, four or six are carried (according to tonnage) on each vessel subject to Piracy Regulations.
They are not sufficiently conversant with any language but their own to understand clearly the salient points of any orders given in a European language (except, perhaps, those military commands laid down in the Drill Book). They are not sailors and do not understand any of the minutia of shipboard methods. are, therefore, doubly handicapped in graaping promptly any ordere given by European neuticel men.
They
These shortcomings are of immense importance in cases of panic and emergency (when the handful of Europe an officers are suddenly taken at a dis advantage and outnumbered by a well armed enemy) and render these so called safeguards not only of negative value, but a positive hindrance in any attempt to retrieve a situa- tion which is at best but a forlorn hope.
Further than that they are not policemen ! (vide letter from Capt. Supt. of Police, dated 16th May 1924. Enclosure c.)
They are, nevertheless, under the direct control and training of, rewarded and punished by, and paid their wages through the Police Department; not by the Master of the vessel, ma is every other member of the ships company, in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Acts, and they (the guards) resent, in no doubtful manner, any display of authority by any other than the Capt. Supt. of Police or the principal officers of his department. The Master of the vessel is not an officer of that Department and, as is