CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 482

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469

it would be better if their representatives should withdraw from the Committee and go thoroughly into the matter themselves and submit a minority report. At the adjourned meeting of the Committee the Chairman again made it clear that the wider con- sideration was outside the scope of the Committee and the signatories hereto accordingly withdrew.

Although both the Shipowners and the Personnel on the Ships from the outset have realised the many defects of the existing Ordinance they have unquestionably given the system more than a fair trial. They cannot, however, continue to willingly subscribe to a system which from experience they are convinced is

wrong.

THE RØGULATIONS. It is strongly urged that it is the province of the Navy to protect commerce particularly British commerce against the depredations of pirates. Under the Regulations the responsibility for the defence of the local Mercantile Marine is thrown upon the owners and the officers of each vessel. The idea of a merchant ship of the class lying in the Canton Delta or on the coast having "a citadel fortified garrisoned defended" (vide Report of Sui An Piracy Commission) is as impracticable as it is absurd. It is accepted as axionatic that it is the duty of the master and his officers to defend their ship but it is submitted that adequate protection from piratical attacks from within the ship is utterly impracticable in the case of vessels employed on the trades in question. Vessels con- structed for commercial purposes to carry passengers and cargo from one port to another cannot be converted into fortresses. It is common ground that the element of surprise is always inevitably present in the case of such attacks. The most that can be hoped for or attempted is the defence of the bridge and engine room for a sufficient time to enable the officers to send out distress signals from the bridge. The finding of the Commission appointed to enquire into the "Sui An" Piracy goes to show that if the then Piracy Prevention Regulations had been carried out to the letter and the strongest possible fight put up "the bridge could only have been held for a sufficient time to have robbed the attack

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