Date.
To..
COPY.
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEP, CHINA STATION.
HS "HAWKINS" at HONGKONG.
17th February, 1925.
No.......
.204/1034.
37
The Secretary of the Admiralty.
Subject.................... Piracy Prevention Ordinance and Regulations.
Be pleased to inform Their Lordships that the Anti- Piracy Regulations enforced by the Hongkong Government and which apply to Ships and Vessels plying between Amoy and Haiphong including Hongkong and Canton Delta ports have recently been the subject of severe criticim by the local Chambers of Commerce, the Shipping sub-committee and the China Coast Officers' Guild.
A copy of the Regulations.. drafted in March, 1924, after the "Sui An" Piracy Commission, by the Police, Harbour Authorities and Lawyers. Lieutenant R.R. Beauchamp R. N., then Intelligence Officer on his staff, had previously expressed the late Commander-in-Chief's views at a Coroner's inquest following on the "Tai Lee" incident.
2.
3. I understand there are two Committees which are interested in the subject of anti-piracy Regulations:-
.were
(1) The shipping sub-committee of the Chamber of Commerce consisting of representatives from the principal Shipping firms and wharfing companies on which the Staff Officer for (1) duties at Hongkong (Lieutenant- Commander C. st. C. Ingham R. N.) sits. He is not, however, a full member and is therefore not in a position to give utterance unless he is called upon to express an opinion, which so far as I can trace, has not yet occurred.
(ii)
4.
The Piracy Regulations Committee presided over by the Assistant Colonial Harbourmaster, Lieutenant-Commander Hake, R. N. R., of which the members are representatives of the Police, General Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, China Coast Officers' Guild.
I was recently privately approached by representatives of both the above Committees as to my views on the subject of
these anti-piracy Regulations and I pointed out that since I
was head of one Government department here and the Governor of another, I could not intrude any opinion unless His Excellency
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.