CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 650

-15-

642

and make their plans accordingly.

(5)

The Hongkong Government fitted out 4 armed launches

for convoy work which are manned by Naval ratings under the command of a Naval Officer. These craft are by no means ideal for the work, they draw too much water and most of them are too slow. They have however been very useful indeed, not only for convoying but for patrol work in between and were particularly welcome during the period when the gunbeata have had to be concentrated at Canton.

(1)

Prevention of Piracy - Present Svatem.

At present shipping is protected against piracy

by the following methode.

(a)

British gunboats. These are distributed about the rivers and the Delta according to signe and information received, They are a mobile force which can be switched to any area

required.

Piracy suppression is by no means the only duty they have to perform, Canton and the other Treaty ports have all got to be looked after and protected in case of need.

with and turned off Chinese military have often to be dealt British launches etc. The Flag has to be shown in other ports and British interests in general protected.

(b)

Armed Launches. At present these are tied down to

They run on a convoying the Hongkong-Kongmun river steamers, regular time-table and convoy ships through the most dangerous areas. In between their convoy work they patrol adjacent waterways. As long as they are with a convoy no piratical attack is likely to be made but I am convinced that they can be far more efficiently employed with equally good protection to the river steamers and far better protection to the many small craft under the British flag if convoying is abolished and At present every efficient patrolling instituted instead. pirate and local inhabitant knows exactly when the convoy and

its