Sir,
Enclosure No.3 to China Letter No.1791/01034 of 29th November, 1923.
208
HONG KONG, 30th August, 1929.
ith reference to your No.H.K.0260 of the 13th instant, we have the honour to inform you that the undersigned met on the 26th instant to discuss your communication now under
reply.
It was agreed that the best steps to take would be for each Company to communicate individually on the points raised, and also jointly with regard to Paragraph 3 desling with the enrolment end organising of guards, where all interests are
identical,
As a result of a full discussion it was found that no
satisfactory solution could be arrived at in connection with the personnel of guards as recommended by the Anti-Piracy Committee. Suggestions in regard to securing men of various nationalities were generally discussed, but in all cases it was found that no satisfactory defence force could be established and maintained other than of disciplined guards, and that these are unobtainable except under the existing arrangements of
That this detailing British navel and/or military forces. system of protection has proved an unqualified success ic manifest by the immunity from Piracy since its inauguration, and as already mentioned the Undersigned are at a loss to recommend any alternative to the present arrangement.
Should
it be of assistance to the Commodore we should be pleased to meet him at any time convenient to explain the difficulties of raising a force of guards from men of the nationalities possibly available, but this subject has only recently been so exhans- tively dealt with both verbally and in writing that we cannot but think the Authorities are already fully cognizant of cur
care.ully considered views.
The