CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928 — Page 86

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at the apparatus.

It is possible, however, to put the

【rilled ar

whole thing out of their reach by having the sireless

esbin within

The only part of the

wireless equipment which would then be accessible to

persons outside would be the halliards attaching the

aerials to the mustheids. These are usually croucht

don to the deck, but I was informed that they could

be made at instead to the oro gat

They could then

only be reached by climbing the rigging, and a pirate

who attempted to do that could be shot from the bridg

It is true that most of the ships only arry one wireless

operater and that he might be off duty at the time of the

attack, but it would be possible to allow for that by ty

the installation of an automatic alarm signal which could

be set in motion by the officer of the watch. I ander.

und that some such evice is now being prepared by

the company's wireless department.

The bridge area, including the wireless room,

should be protected with steel plating pierced with

loopholes to command the approaches. There should w

one entranos only, kept looked and guard

ou toe

by an armed sentry under the eye of the officer of the

watuh. The ships' rifles or revolvers thould be kapt

within this ar

- it is

available for immedi

futile to leave thea in officers cabins, where they are

invariably seized by the pirates

* *mill supply of

- and there should be

ter in case the realstange

wore prolonged. On the bridge there would be the officer

of the watch, the quartermaster and the armed guard.

r

If the bridge were fortified as

four, if th

should be able

stout resi

scribed, these thre

viraless operator were also there

put up

and defeat

the object of the pirates, provided help from the navy