CO129-515-1 Piracy- legal proceedings arising from sinking of S.S. 'IRENE' 18-1-1929 - 6-9-1929 — Page 55

in that lote, but apparently to adopt the

arguments and language employed therein. In the

circumstances, however, it is now incumbent

upon His Majesty's Government to state in detail

their attitude as to the incident in question.

3. In order that the circumstances of

the oase may be properly appreciated it is

necessary in the first instance to rcoall the

faotu as to the rearudesoolide in recent yeaIS

of pir ay off the coasts of China.

prevalence of piracy in those wates and

the noosasity for suppressing it were recog-

nised in the Treaty of Tientsin of 1860,

Article 55 of which provided that "in con-

"sideration of the injury sustained by native

"and foreign commerce from the prevalence of

*piracy in the seas of China, the High Contract-

"ing Parties agree to concert measures for its

"suppression".

After the conclusion of thie

treaty Anglo-ühinese co-operation ia the sup❤

pression of piracy was regularly maintained,

and, thanks no doubt in part to that co-opera-

tion, the operations of the Chinese pirates

J2