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361
Copy.
No.1 in 2266/1922.
Gentlemen,
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong.
13th March, 1924.
T
With reference to your letter of the 4th of February and my reply of the 11th February, I am directed to
state that this Government cannot accept the view that it is
desirable that arms and armed guards should be removed from
vessels, as it is clear that without them anyvessel would be
liable to be seized by a small body of determined men.
Patrols may be a sufficient defence against external attack
but they cannot alone provide for security against attack
from within, as pirates on board a ship would only have to
wait for their opportunity until the ship was out of sight or hearing of a patrolling vessel, and it is obviously
impossible to have so many vessels on patrol that one would
always be within hearing of every vessel in the danger zone.
2.
Even with the establishment of a system of
convoys, it will not be possible to provide sufficient external protection to do away with the necessity for self
defence and mutual assistance on the part of the individual
ships proceeding under convoy; and the provision of armed guards must therefore be regarded as an essential part of the arrangements for combatting piracy.
3.
I am to add that the Government fully appreciates the point that officers are exposed to the risk of death or injury in resisting pirates and is now in correspondence with the Chamber of Commerce as to the possibility of introducing a system of insurance against death or disable- ment caused by piratical attacks.
The Assistant Secretary,
China Coast Officers' Guild.
The Branch Secretary,
Marine Engineers' Guild of China,
I am, etc..
(Sd). Claud Severn,
Colonial Secretary.
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