THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.
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Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence. March 1930.
SECRET.
C.O.S. 224.
COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.
Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee.
PIRACY IN CHINA WATERS.
(Previous Paper No. C.O.S. 223.)
Copy No.
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REPORT.
AS directed by the Prime Minister, we have examined the attached report by the Oversea Defence Committee relative to the provision by the naval and military authorities of anti-piracy guards for shipping in China waters.
2. On the question of principle, our views of a year ago, stated in paragraph 3 of the attached report, remain unchanged. We are still firmly convinced that no satisfactory action for the protection of vessels against piracy is possible without the whole-hearted co-operation of the shipowners, who must be made to assume full responsibility for the internal protection of their ships.
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3. The whole subject of piracy in China waters was so fully dealt with in our report of a year ago (C.I.D. Paper No. 330-C) that in the present paper we propose to limit ourselves to an examination of the conclusions submitted by the Oversea 62711/29 Defence Committee in paragraph 16 of the attached report. We will now consider these seriatim.
4. "(a) It is not for the Committee to suggest any modification of the Cabinet decision to withdraw regular naval and military guards on the 31st March. If, however, the continuance of these guards for a further definitely limited period is considered desirable, the Committee propose that it should be subject to the following
conditions:-
(i) That the Shipping Companies evolve an efficient scheme and agree to bring it into operation at the earliest possible date, this date to be fixed by the 1st April. (ii) That the full cost of any naval and military guards supplied after the 31st March be borne by those Shipping Companies which employ them.”
We are in complete agreement that it is for the Cabinet alone to decide whether any modification of their decision to withdraw the regular naval and military guards on the 31st March is desirable.
5. We do not, however, agree with the stipulation contained in (a) (i) that the Shipping Companies should evolve the scheme. We consider that no better solution could be found than an elaboration of the existing scheme under which Indian guards, organized under the Inspector-General of Police, Hong Kong, are available.
Experience has shown that these guards, if properly employed, accommodated, and supervised, are capable of performing the duties required of them efficiently.
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B