CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928 — Page 200

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discussed with the Japanese.

On November 18th the Governor

of Hongkong and Sir M. Lampson had decided that, pending

materialisation of an international programme, punitive

measures should be dropped and the Commander-in-Chief should

adopt preventive measures.

Mr. Southorn remarked that at the time of that telegram

he had experienced great difficulty as, if a piracy had taken

place, there would have been no plan in existence for measures

to deal with it.

Mr. Moungey then mentioned General Li Chai-sun's request

for facilities for the arming of piracy prevention launches

(Peking telegrams Nos. 41 and 42) and suggested that this

furnished an additional reason for not issuing fresh instruc-

tions regarding punitive measures at present.

Hr. Southors said that, in his opinion, the Hongkong

Government would welcome an opportunity of assisting Canton

in this way.

Mr. Mounsey explained that the matter was only in a pre-

liminary stage and would require full consideration. He had

referred to it only as an illustration of the undesirability

of modifying the stadding instructions at present.

Mr. Southorn thought the launches would not be suitable

for patrolling the Bins Bay area; he thought they were designed

for work in the Canton delta.

He reverted to the need of issuing fresh instructions to

the Governor of Hengkong, the authority given by those at

present current being so limited by conditions as to be quite

inadequate and impracticable in an emergency. He was surprised

that no recommendations in this respect had been made by the

Governor.

It/

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