CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 40

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the Governor officially invited me to do so. This resulted in

the Governor requesting me to remark on the so-called Minority

Report.

5.

Commander M.R. J. Maxwell-Scott, D. S.0.‚R. N., S. N. O.

West River Patrol in his remarks....

expressed the

opinion that if 5 more armed launches were added to the patrol

he considered the convoy system could cease, the number of guards

could be reduced; also the grille system mitigated.

6. Being soeptical that he had been unduly optimistic as

regards the small maber of additional armed launches required, he has made further remarks not only regarding that detail but

he has also given the rough dimensions which he considers

desirable for an armed launch for this service.

7. It will be observed that the Signatories of the

Minority Report stress the doctrine that the onus of piracy

suppression should rest entirely on the Navy. In other words it

may be said that they object to paying out of their own pockets

for the protection of their own trade.

8. From an Admiralty point of view I take it, the more Colonial Governments take on responsibility and the expense of their own interests the more equitable the arrangement will be

as it will remove a burden from the British Taxpayer, all the

more so as I strongly suspect few of the complainants contribute

any considerable share in swelling the Imperial Exchequer in the

shape of Hone Income Tax and therefore I presume they cannot justly claim an exalted share of Naval protection, I understand

there is no Colonial Income Tax.

quafset

9. I also suggest that a large percentage of local craft subject to these anti-piracy Regulations are not owned by white British subjects. Presumably they are registered locally under the Merchant Shipping Act Regulations but it seems significant that out of 53 British ships plying in the Delta in 1923 and 192 only 6 in each year were owned by white British subjects although of course their trade contributed to the pro

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