CO129-495 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [11-12] — Page 251

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence. December 1926.

SECRET.

Copy No.

5

COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Extract from the Minutes of the 219th Meeting, held on December 16, 1926.

E3

(2.)-CHINA: PIRACY IN BIAS BAY,

(C.I.D. Paper No. 287-C.)

(Previous Reference: C.I.D. Minutes of 218th Meeting, Minute 3.)

THE COMMITTEE had under consideration a Report by the Chiefs of Staff C.I.D. Paper No. 287-C), to whom the plan for dealing with piracy in Bias Bay

d been referred by the Committee at their 218th Meeting.

In reply to the Prime Minister, SIR FREDERICK FIELD stated that

1 Beatty had nothing further to add to the Report.

SIR GEORGE MILNE said that the Chiefs of Staff were in favour of deferring cution of the plan submitted by the Governor of Hong Kong until after another

y had taken place, as indicated in paragraph 6 of their Report.

In reply to the Prime Minister, SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN stated that was of the opinion that the correct course would be to ask the Canton Government porate, but he would like to consult the Consul-General, Canton, before making ennite decision in regard to this suggestion. Later in the meeting he added that did not wish that instructions to the local authorities at Hong Kong should be ged until after he had received a reply from Canton.

After some discussion, THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE agreed to

end

(a.) That the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs should, without delay, consult the Consul-General, Canton, with a view to obtaining, if possible, the co-operation of the Canton Government in the proposed operation under threat of independent action on our part in the event of their refusal, (b) That the Governor of Hong Kong should at once be informed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the Consul-General, Canton, is being consulted as above, and that he should be authorised in conjunction with the Naval and Military authorities to carry out the plan submitted by him without further delay in the event of another piracy, subject to the proviso that smoke-bombing of the villages is forbidden.

(c.) That the First Lord of the Admiralty and the Secretary of State for War should send corresponding instructions to the Naval Commander-in-Chief and the General Officer Commanding. Hong Kong, respectively. (d) That the Secretary should circulate the proceedings of the Committee of

Imperial Defence on this subject to the Cabinet for their information.

2. Whitehall Gardens, S.W. 1,

December 16, 1926.

[15532-1]

*

242