They observe that Merchant Ships are expected
to protect themselves to a large extent from
sporadic attack and also to accept inconven-
iences, some of which (e.g. sailing under
convoy) are sailing under convey) are such as
the Hong Kong traders have complained of.
It
appears to the Admiralty to be an unt enable
proposition that traders should expect to carry
on their business without inconvenience or
danger in a foreign country suffering from Civil
war, and should have provided for them without
cost to themselves, whatever increase of pro-
tection is necessary to affect this.
4. The Admiralty is, on the other hand,
in complete agreement with the view, which has
from time to time been expressed in Sir R.E.
Stubbs' despatches, and was endorsed in the
Report of the Inter-Departmental conference
referred to above, that in the conditions ob-
taining in the waters of the Canton Delta, no
where the danger lies system of patrole can supply protection unless
must be
an
a ship is prepared to defend itself against an
attack from within by a small body of determined
men, o
The
Page
Page
5. The fact remains that although, as indica-
ted in the terms of reference to the local Committee
appointed by Sir R. E. Stubbs, certain amendments in
the Piracy Regulations are desirable, no suggestion
that I am able to regard as practicable has yet been
put forward for an effective substitute for the
general scheme of defence embodied in the Regulations.
6. I have to request that you will take such
steps, as you may consider desirable, to remove any
misapprehensions as to the views of the Admiralty
and myself on these questions./which may still exist prevail
in the minds of any sections of the community in
the Colony which may be concerned.
7. As regards the proposal that additional
armed launches should be provided by the Admiralty
for service on the West River, it seems hardly necessary
to say more at this juncture than that in existing cir-
cumstances any discussion of this question would be
entirely acade.nic. You will of course be at liberty
to raise the question again should the necessity arise.
I have some hope, however,
I am however not without hope that, when commercial
intercourse between Hong Kong and Canton again
becomes possible, there will not be any serious
recrudescence
(13123/25)
age 9
age 9
Pag
Pag
recrudescence of piracy in these waters.
8. As regards the question (dealt
with in paragraphs 23-29 of the Report
of the 1924 Inter-Departmental Conference)
whether vessels subject to the Piracy
Regulations should be required to carry
some suitable form of wireless telegraph
apparatus, I enclose copies of the
report on the tests referred to in
paragraph 27 of the Report of the Inter-
Departmental Conference. I understand
that the Board of Trade is not yet in
a position to form any definite conclusion
as to the form of automatic apparatus which
may ultimately be licenced; and of
course until such a decision is reached,
such apparatus will not be manufactured
on a commercial scale, and will accordingly
not be obtainable at a price which apart
from other considerations would justify
its installation being made compulsory
under the Piracy Regulations.
I have,
e 10
etc.,
e 10
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