[This Document is the Property of His Britannia Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for officiał us.]
95
32
(F F696/43/10)
TO CHINA.
Code telegram to Sir M. Lampson (Peking),
Foreign Office, 23rd October, 1928. 1.15 p.m.
No. 285. (R).
Canton telegram to you No. 94 (Peking telegram
No. 1092 of October 5th: Piracy).
General Officers Commanding in Malaya, Hongkong
and North China have been authorised to provide
armed guards within certain defined limits on vessels
carrying Chinese passengers.
Prolonged resort to this emergency measure on
considerable scale is undesirable for reasons of
military organisation and training. You should
therefore endeavour to induce shipping authorities
to take adequate measures for internal defence in
order to reduce, if not obviate, necessity for
military guards.
Repeat to Hongkong.