CO129-496 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 376

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This question was considered by the Oversea Defence Committee at their 272nd Meeting held on the 29th October, 1926. The Committee are unanimously of the opinion that steps should be taken to deal with the Bias Bay pirates, who were inflicting much injury ou the trade of Hong Kong. They recognise, however, that questions of high policy are involved, and that any suggestions they might be able to put forward must be subject to the policy of His Majesty's Government.

8. The Committee are informed that, while the Foreign Office concur in the desirability of checking piracy in Bias Bay, they are of opinion that everything possible should be done to force the Chinese authorities to take action in the matter and to avoid action by British troops on Chinese soil, as the latter might result i propaganda throughout China to our detriment. They suggested, therefore, that action should be taken in three stages. Firstly, the Canton Government should be informed that unless they take immediate artion for the suppression of piracy in Bias Bay His Majesty's Government will be forced to do so; secon lly, in the event of no action being taken by Canton, naval action, not involving actual landing on Chinese soil, should be attempted; aud, thirdly, if naval action is ineffective, a plan on the lines suggested by the Governor of Hong Kong, or as amended by the Acting Consul General, C'auton, should be considered.

The Foreign Office submitted to the Committee the draft telegram (Appendix VI), which it was suggested should be sent to the British Minister, Peking.

9. The Admiralty view is that the Foreign Office proposals for naval patrolling of Bias Bay would involve a large operation owing to the extent of the Bay; that probably three craft would have to be permanently employed on the patrol, and that even then the plan was unlikely to be effective, While recognising that it might not be possible to capture the pirates themselves, they are of opinion that the destruction of their property might produce the desired result, and for this reason they consider that a plan on the lines suggested by the Governor of Hong Kong is the only solution to the problem.

10. The War Office, while agreeing that the naval patrolling of the coast, which the Foreign Office considered should not involve bombardment of the piratical villages, was unlikely to be effective, point out that owing to the limited military resources of Ilong Kong and the very large extent of the coast line of Bias Bay, the occupation suggested by the Acting Consul-General Canton (Appendix IV), is not practicable. The area that could he occupied would be so small that it would probably have no effect whatever on the operations of the pirates. In this connection the Committee note that in paragraph 5 of his despatch dated the 28th August, 1926, the Governor of Hong Kong suggests that steps must be taken to make the pirate bases in Bias Bay and in the Canton River delta unsafe as centres for piratical operations. It would, therefore, appear that the Governor does not contemplate limiting his action to Bias Bay alone.

The War Office also doubt whether the combined naval and military expedition suggested by the Governor does not involve an alteration of the policy of Ilis Majesty's Government with regard to China which is described in C.I.D. Paper No. 727-B, daterl the 15th October, 1926, as follows:-

"The policy of His Majesty's Government is therefore to avoid being drawn into intervention in Chinese affairs on a large scale, and to pursue as far as possible a policy of patience and conciliation. This being so, they consider that armed action should be coutined to the defence of British lives, property and interests by whomsoever attacked, provided that such action is easily practicable and will not involve extensive and incalculable military commitments."

11.

The Air Ministry are strongly opposed to air action against the pirate villages, as suggested by the Commodore, Hong Kong, in Enclosure No. 3 to Appendix 1. They are of the opinion that it would be impossible to avoid inflicting damage o innocent persons, and suggest that this would result in charges of barbarous and inhuman conduct which might damage our prestige.

The Committee generally are fully in agreement with this view.

12. While recognising that it is not within their competence to make definite recommendations on this subject at the present stage, the Committee would submit

that if punitive action by British forces against Chinese pirates on Chinese soil is not deemed to be at variance with the general policy of His Majesty's Government with regard to China, the following suggestions should receive consideration by the Committee of Imperial Defence :-

(1.) That before any action by the Services is undertaken the Canton Government should be requested to take immediate and effective steps for the suppression of piracy in Bias Bay, and should be informed that if this is not done His Majesty's Government will be forced to take action. They further suggest that the precise details of the action contemplated should not be divulged, and that in view of the fact that many ships, though not British owned, have British masters and serve British interests, action should not be strictly confined to cases where British-owned ships are involved.

(2) That if the above course of action is approved, it is essential that a plan of British action, framed by the local authorities in Hong, Kong, should be approved by the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry before the Canton Government is approached. Further, that the plan adopted must conform to the present naval and military resources of Hong Kong, and must be such as to cause as little adverse comment as possible among responsible Chinese authorities.

(3) That occupation of Bias Bay being impracticable owing to the area involved, purely naval action being unlikely to be effective, and air action being undesirable owing to the risk of damage to innocent persons, the only plan likely to produce the desired result is one generally on the lines suggested by the Governor of Ilong Kong in his despatch of the 30th June, 1926.

(4.) That the presence of Chinese troops and authorities at the scene of action when the operation takes place is hardly feasible, as swift action would appear cssential if success is to be achieved. In this connection the Committee invite attention to the telegram from Peking (Appendix V), in which the British Minister suggests that co-operation by any Northern Chinese man-of-war would be more likely to antagonise Canton than isolated action taken by ourselves.

(5.) That the Foreign Office draft telegram, shown in Appendix VT, should be considered in the light of the decisions reached on the points mentioned above.

(Signed)

2, Whitehall Gardens, S. W. 1,

November 1, 1926.

C. N. MACREADY, Secretary,

Overaca Defence Committee.

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