CO129-496 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 336

Nos.

took advantage of the recent presence in Hong Yong of 334 Mr. O'Malley, Counsellor of His Majesty's Legation at Peking,

to arrange for a visit of inspection to Bies Bay on the

16th June in H.M.S. "Despatch", Our party, in addition

to kr. O'Malley and myself, consisted of Commodore Stirling,

Colonel Montague.Bates (at present Officer Commending the

troops in Hong Kong), Colonel Coates, tr. 7.T. Southorn

(Colonial Secretary) and several militery and naval officers.

We had also with us Captain H.F. Bloxham, acting Assistent

Superintendent of Police, and Lieutenant-Commander Ingham,

Royal Navy, who had both participated in the raid made upon

the Bias Bay pirates in co-operation with the Chinese

authorities in January 1925, and described in Captain

Bloxham's report which forms an enclosure in my predecessor's

despatch No.81 of the 3rd March, 1925.

5.

К

Fe made a careful inspection of Bias Bay, noting

especially the anchorage to which the pirates take captured

vessels, and vioring the village of Fan Lo Kong from the

waters of the inlet on which it is situated. Consequent

on this inspection, I have received the attached letters

deted 24th and 25th inst., from Commodore Stirling and

Colonel Kontague..lntes respectively, indicating the nature

of the operations which would be necessary, if a punitive

expedition were to be undertaken. It is clear from these

letters that prior authority from the Admiralty and Far

Office will be needed, and I have the honour to suggest

that the consent of those departments end also of the Foreign

Office should be obtained to action on the following lines:

When nexu a piracy in Bias Bay is reported, it is

proposed that two companies of a British regiment should be

lot reproduced.

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