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Can you assist us to secure the protection
for which our friends have applied, namely the provision
of an adequate guard on our passenger ships. What we
would like is a cablegram from the authorities here to
those in the East instructing or at least recommending
that guards should be supplied.
This piracy situation really is rather desperate
and will be worse unless something is done, on the lines
indicated by our people, to cope with it. We do not
want to cease carrying Chinese passengera, a very
valuable section of our trade, but it appears now as if
we shall have to do so because, unless we get the
protection for which we now ask, we have grave doubts
if we are justified in taking the very serious risk to
men and ships involved by carrying on.
It is within my own knowledge that Military guards
are already supplied to certain passenger carrying ships
in the East, e.g. the Canadian Pacific Company.
I have heard nothing yet from the representative
in London of the Officers' Guild.
Yours etc.,
(Signed) H.W. Robinson.
P.S. My own opinion is that the provision of Military
guards is the immediate step to take.