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The Admiralty representative
enquired whether there would be any advantage
to be gained by increasing the cost of registra- tion and applying the proceeds to maintain-
ing anti-piracy forces.
Sir E.Stubbs thought that the Colony
would never agree to expending any additional revenue which might be derived in this way
on additional naval forces.
The Board of Trade representative
expressed the view that even if the registra- tion fees were doubled they would hardly act
as a deterrent.
Sir E.Stubbs agreed, and pointed
out that the registration fee is only paid once, and that the profits on a single voyage
are so great that an increase in the fee will
have no effect.
Sir G.Grindle then referred to the
suggestions which had been made that ships
subject to the Piracy Regulations should be
required to carry wireless telegraph apparatus
and operators.
Sir E. Stubbs thought that no useful purpose would be served by such a requirement.
Experiments with automatic wireless apparatus
had been conducted in Hong Kong and the results
had been communicated to the Chamber of
Commerce. The Chamber had however shown very
little interest in the matter. The fact is
that