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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 ship's 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 uttermost" 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 ship's officers would not contest that it is generally their duty to defend their ship. We accordingly recommend that the words "to the uttermost" should be deleted from Regulation No.1. We were informed that this would meet the objections of the Guilds, on this head.
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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
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