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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
SECRET.
action.
521-M.
We must now await Cabinet decision.
Pollutichuck
10/11
Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence.
Copy No.
1
COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.
OVERSEA DEFENCE COMMITTEE
4603
0167/11
6.5.1
100026
CHINA.
PIRACY IN BIAS BAY.
Memorandum by the Oversea Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence.
THE Colonial Office have referred to the Oversea Defence Committee for their cousideration a despatch, dated the 30th June, 1926, from the Governor of Hong Kong requesting approval for certain proposals for dealing with piracy in Bias Bay.
The Governor's despatch, with four enclosures, is reproduced as Appendix I.
2. The Governor proposes that, when next a piracy in Bias Bay is reported, two companies of a British regiment should be immediately despatched with such naval escort as may be available to Bias Bay, where pirated ships are usually moored, and that the troops should land and endeavour to waylay the pirates while removing their loot. The troops would also search the pirate villages and, if necessary, destroy them. These proposals go much further than the Admiralty standing instructions for the suppression of piracy in Chinese waters, and partake of the nature of a minor punitive lition. The present Admiralty instructions are summarised in Enclosure No. 3 to Appendix I.
3. Appendix II is a copy of a further despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong, dated the 28th August, 1926, reporting two further piracies in Bias Bay, and again urging that approval should be given to the recommendations contained in his previous despatch (Appendix I).
4. Appendix III is a copy of a telegram, dated the 6th October, 1926, from the Governor reporting yet another piracy. In this telegram the Governor states that the pirates probably scattered at once amongst the villages and seaplane reconnaissance failed to locate them.
5. A telegram from Peking giving the views of the Acting Consul-General, ton, is reproduced as Appendix IV. The Acting Consul-General suggests that the proposals in Appendix I, if carried out, might result in a charge of barbarous treatment to innocent villagers, and prefers as an alternative that Bias Bay should be ocenpied by a small garrison, Canton at the same time being given a public under- ng that the garrison will be withdrawn as soon as it is replaced by Chinese troops. If this is not possible, the Acting Consul-General considers that the Hung Kong scheme is better than taking no action at all. He suggests that in either case action should be taken immediately after the piracy of a British ship. connection it may be noted that in all the cases of piracy mentioned in Enclosures Nos. 1 and 2 to Appendix I the ships concerned were not British owned.
6
In this
In a telegram from Peking (Appendix V) the British Minister concurs generally in the view of the Acting Consul-General, Canton.
[15276]
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