CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 403

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men were inexperienced in their new duties and it is hardly

surprising that the conduct of some of them was open to

criticism. The guards many of whom are old soldiers, have

now been formed into an organized unit under the control of

the Captain Superintendent of Police, and an officer taken

from the Indian Army has been detailed to superintend their

training and discipline. We do not consider that the

regulations regarding the carrying of these guards should be

relaxed.

18.

We consider however that there is force in the

contention of the Guilds that it is not reasonable that the

ships officers should not in any circumstances be allowed to

exercise their discretion as to the degree of resistance to

be offered. It seems quite possible for example, to envisage

circumstances in which the obligation to resist to the utter-

most" might entail their certain death without securing the

ship against the attack. We were assured by the gentlemen who

were present at our second meeting that ships officers would

not contest that it is general their duty to defend their

ship. We accordingly recommend that the words "to the utter-

most" should be deleted from Regulation No.1. We were informed

that this would meet the objections of the Guilds, on this

head.

in

19. Regulation No.3 requires that each certificated

officer, whether on or off duty, shall carry on his person a

revolver and 25 rounds of ammunition. It was urged upon us

that it is unreasonable to insist on the application of this

regulation to engineer officers when actually engaged in the

heat and cramped space of the engine rooms.

tive of the Admiralty concurred in this view.

The representa-

We accordingly

recommend