barbed wire to make themselves secure against surpri se
Alarm bell circuits, though generally fitted, might be
improved Grille doors are, in most cases, fitted with
clumsy padlocks instead of slam-locks.
34.
The normal guard embarked on hig ships for the
Singapore-Hong Kong run is one officer and 14 men; for the
shorter run, Shanghai-Hong Kong, one sergeant and 8 men
is all that can be spared. It is hot considered, with
exi sting defences, that security could be obtained with
smaller numbers.
35.
where the weaker guards are employed, reliance
is being placed on the prestige of the Eri ti sh Soldier
at the expense of his safety.
36.
"(b) Organisation of ship's officers and men against piracy".
At present ship's officers do not as a rule carry
arms on their persons. There is generally no anti-piracy
organisation affecting anyone except the guards.
37.
Generally speaking companies refrain from
instructing their officers to offer armed resistance to
pirates. It is obviously undesirable that guards, whether
British or otherwise, should be the only men to risk
their lives in the event of piracy.
38.
This
It is considered that the co-operation of the
officers in armed resistance should be obligatory.
should be recc mi sed by the owners and referred to in
their agreements and it should be made an essential
condition to the supply of military guards.
202