itself be ultimately successful.
The utmost that can be hoped for 109
is the defence of the bridge må engine roon until signals of listross can be communicated to patrolling vessel in the neighborhood and it
is submitted that with adequate patrols all that is necessary in merchant vessels is protection of the bridge nd engine room and the arming of officers. Once pirates know that although they may be able to overcome resistance in the shiy itself they will not be able to get away, piracy will conse,
PATROLS. The suppression of piracy in the l:cent waters is
An efficient service of essentially a duty of His Majesty's Nay. patrols would not merely protect emerge from attacks from without but would also het as absolut deterrent to attacks from within.
In a speech made by hin in Shanghai (1924) Admiral Sir Arthur Leveson stated that the placing of armed guards on river boats was of little practical service and that increased patrols were in his opin- ion the only remedy, and that he was taking steps to increase the
patrols on the Yungtszo.
The signatories hereto have taken up the question of Naval patrols with the Senior Naval Offic.r West River Patrols and his report is with the approve of the Commodore appended hereto.
Two observations only need be mile on the substance of that
Report.
First that it would apper from the Report that that portion of H.M. Naval forces which is statione in adj cent waters is n't sasquate for the many and varied luties which devolve upon it and second that the report dels practically entirely with River traffic.
once.
It is urged that 1 system i patr ls on the lines indicated by the officer in question and a coastal patrol within the Danger Zone to be formulated by the Navel Authorities should be institutod at
If the Estimates for His Majesty's Navy do not permit of the immediato construction of the indicated craft by the Navy it is urged that the Hongkong Government might fittingly apply to this purpose the surplus shipping control funds as yet unappropriated to any particular purpose, or if these are unavailable for the time being, in the interests of the general trade of the Colony the Hongkong Government should nocupt responsibility.
7.
(It)