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which are adequately protected against piracy, and it
was suggested that the issue of the certificates should
be conditional upon
(a) the fitting of adequate grilles
(b) the provision of efficient guards
(c)
the provision of an efficient wireless telegraph apparatus of adequate power and a fully qualified operator, who should be employed full time on this duty.
I was instructed to furnish, without consulting the
companies, my observations on the proposal with particular
reference to its practicability from the point of view
of the existence of adequate surveying facilities in
Shanghai, and to its probable effectiveness as a means of
stimulating British companies to adopt effective anti-
piracy measures.
4. I think that with the help of the local naval
authorities there would be no difficulty in surveying
ships so far as the first and third requirements are
concerned, that is to say adequate grilles and efficient
wireless apparatus. The difficulty would not be the
surveying of the ships but inducing the companies to incur
the expense involved in complying with the required
standard. 30 far as wireless is concerned I need only
refer you to their reply enclosed with this despatch.
5. As for grilles, I personally would not care to
certify a ship as "pirate proof" unless it were so
constructed that the Chinese passengers were completely
segregated from the foreigners and crew, and the arrange-
ments were such as to eliminate the necessity for the
constant opening of the doors between the two compartments.
The
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