No.H.K.0261/3.
Enclosure No.1.
COMMODORE'S OFFICE,
HONG KONG.
5th November, 1928.
34
Your Excellency,
With reference to the Colonial Secretary's
letter of 31st October, 1928, No.3473/28c, I have
the honour to inform you that although co-operation
in anti-piracy action has been attempted through the
Canton Government, this has proved abortive, and no
opportunity for direct naval co-operation has
occurred.
2.
The warning from the police department
concerning the possibility of a ship being pirated
and taken to Hong Hoi Bay was received on the 20th
September, and shipping firms at Hong Kong were
requested to report without delay to me any failure
of W/T communication with their vessels on passage.
This request was not complied with by the owners in
the case of the "Anking".
3.
One of His Majesty's Ships was carrying
out patrol duty in Bias Bay from 21st to 25th
September, and a sloop was on passage from Swatow to Bias Bay during 28th-29th September.
4. It is impossible to estimate how long after
a warning is received a piracy may take place, and in
this connection it is noted that members of the pirate
gang concerned in the "Anking" piracy stated that they
had been at Singpore for four months. Further, the
police warning referred to a gang operating from
Shanghai.
There is therefore no evidence of any
connection