into the matter themselves and submit minority report. At the adjourned meeting of the Committec the Chairman again made it clear that the wider consideration was outside the scope of the Committee
and the signatories hereto accordingly withdrew.
Although both the Shipowners and the Personnel on the Ships from the outset have realized the many defects of the existing
Ordinance they have unquestionably given the system more than a
fair trial, They cannot, however, continue to willingly subscribe.
to a system which from experience they are convinced is wrong.
It is strongly urged that it is the
THE REGULATIONS.
104
province of the Navy to protect commerce particularly British
commerce against the depredations of pirates. Under the Regulations
the responsibility for the defence of the local Mercantile Marine
Th
is thrown upon the owners and the officers of each vessel.
idea of a merchant ship of the class plying in the Canton Delta or
on the coast having " citadel fortifid garrisoned defended"
(vide Report of Sui An Piracy Commission) is as impracticable as
it is absurd. It is accepted as axiomatic that it is the duty of
the master and his officers to defend their ship but it is sub-
mitted that adequate protection from piratical attacks from with-
in the ship is utterly impracticable in the case of vessels
employed on the trades in question. Vessels constructed for
commercial purposes to carry passengers and cargo from one port
to another cannot be converted into fortresses. It is common
ground that the element of surpris. is always inevitably present
in the case of such attacks. The most that can be hoped for or
attempted is the defense of the bridge and engine room for a
sufficient time to unable the officurs to send out distress signals
from the bridge. The finding of the Commission appointed to
enquire into the "Sui An" Piracy goes to show that if the then
Piracy Prevention Regulations had been carried out to the letter
and the strongest possible fight put up "the bridge could only have
been held for a sufficient time to have robbed the attack of its
"element of surprise, and opportunity would have been furnished to
"inflict damage upon the attackers and to send up signals of distress.
"It is probable that the bridge could not have been finally held
2.
(against)