Mr. Consul-General Brenan to Mr. Ingran.
Copy to Diplomatic kission.
No. 46
Canton.
Hongkong.
(and three copies).
Sir,
32
British Consulate-General,
Shanghai.
11th February, 1931.
I have the honour to report that two piracy
incidents in which the China Merchants Steam Navigation
Company's 3,6. "Hsin Ming" was recently involved have led
to a revival of interest in the question of the provision
of anti-piracy guards on Chinese steamers sailing from
hanghai.
2. The incidents referred to were fully reported
in the local foreign press, but it may be convenient if
I here briefly recall the main facts regarding them.
3. The "Hsin Ming", a small passenger and cargo
steamer of just over two thousand tons, was on her way
from Shanghai to Foochow when, on the evening of 10th
January, armed men who had come on board as passengers at
Shanghai, rushed the bridge and forced the officers, at
the point of the revolver, to dismantle the Wireless
apparatus and hand over the ship's stock of arms and
ammunition. Having thus gained control of the vessel
the pirates had her taken to the neighbourhood of Hong
Hai Inlet, north of Bias Bay, and some fifty-five miles
from Hongkong. Here they were met by a junk in which they
His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires,
British Legation,
Peking.
carried