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16. The Committee, therefore, venture to suggest that with the least possible delay the outline of a scheme which would be acceptable to His Majesty's Government should be placed before the Shipping Companies concerned for their early approv and that then the details of the scheme should be worked out, in conjunction with the Companies, by the Inspector-General of Police, Hong Kong, who should also be instructed to organize the force and administer it, at any rate for a short time.
They therefore submit the following recommendations for consideration :—
Where the force should be located.
17. Regular naval and military guards are at present embarked by shipping at Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, whilst a few lines make use of the Indian guards available at Hong Kong. The latter port must clearly be regarded as the headquarters of anti-piracy measures in China waters, and the Committee therefore suggest that the headquarters and the main body of the force to be organized should be located at Hong Kong with detachments at Singapore and Shanghai,
Composition of the force.
18. The Indian guards which were instituted in 1914 at Hong Kong and are still used by a few Shipping Companies, notably the Douglas line, have not an altogether satisfactory reputation. Whereas no cases have occurred of ships being pirated when regular naval and military guards have been on board, several piracies have occurred when the guards were Indian. This has evidently been primarily due to the slackness of the Indian guards, and the Committee consider that, providing sufficient proportion of white N.C.O.s of a suitable stamp is incorporated, and that the ships officers take a more active interest than at present in the suppression of piracy, there is no reason why a force composed of Indian personnel with white officers and N.C.O.s should not prove satisfactory.
Organization of the force.
a
19. For the reasons given in paragraph 15 above, the Committee recommend that the organization of the force should be entrusted to the Inspector-General of Police. Hong Kong. After the Shipping Companies concerned have been asked for their estimated annual requirements in guards, the establishment and distribution of the force between Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai, and the estimated cost of the force could be arrived at. The question of compensation and pensions for death or injury would also have to be considered in conjunction with the Companies.
20. As already indicated, the Committee are strongly of opinion that the whole of the cost of this force should be borne by the Shipping Companies in proportion to their demands on it, and that there should be no question of a grant in aid from the Imperial Government or of a contribution from the Colonial Governments, as suggested in paragraph 2 of the Appendix.
Administration of the force.
21. Although the Committee consider that unless active steps are taken by the Government of Hong Kong to organize the force unnecessary delay will occur, they suggest that if the administration remains indefinitely in the hands of the Inspector- General of Police this would imply a tacit recognition that part at least of the responsibility for the internal protection of shipping is accepted by His Majesty's Government. They therefore submit that the offer of assistance by the Inspector- General in the organization of the force should, if possible, be conditional on the Shipping Companies assuming full control and responsibility for the administration of the force as soon as possible after its creation. The Companies would no doubt be able to set up a Board of representatives to whom the Officer Commanding the force would be responsible,
It would, however, be necessary to ensure that a satisfactory code of discipline can be legally instituted when connection with the Police is severed.
22. However expeditiously steps may be taken to carry out the above recommendation, it is not possible to hope that any alternative to the regular naval and military guards at present supplied will be ready by the 1st April. apart from the small number of Indian guards of doubtful efficiency now at Hong Kong.
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indeed bo rapely assumed that many month's must elapse before guards will be available under the new scheme for all the ships involved.
23. The Oversea Defence Committee feel it is not hardly for them to suggest any modification of the Cabinet decision by which the regular naval and military rds are to be withdrawn at the end of the present month. They feel it their duty, however, to mention the forcible representations made to them that if advantage is taken of the absence of guards to undertake an intensive campaign of piracy, the result might be disastrous to British trade in the Far East. They also venture to suggest that it is decided to continue the provision of regular naval and military guards, such continuance should be for a definitely limited period, and should be conditional both on the acceptance by the Companies of a scheme such as that put forward in paragraphs 19, 20 and 21 above and on the understanding that the regular guards are paid for in full by the Shipping Companies after the 31st March.
24. In the present report the question of fitting protection for the bridges and other vital positions in ships is not touched on. So far as the Committee are aware, little has been done in this direction since representations on the subject were made to the Shipping Companies last year as a result of the Chiefs of Staff Report (C.I.D. Paper No. 330-C). It seems probable, however, that once it is realised that the internal protection of shipping is to be in reality the responsibility of the Companies, details such as these will receive early attention.
CONCLUSIONS.
The conclusions of the Oversea Defence Committee, submitted for consideration by the Committee of Imperial Defence, may be briefly summarised as follows:-
(a) That, in view of the inaction of the Shipping Companies, and of the difficulties attendant on the organisation by them of what is in effect a Police Force, the following outline of a scheme should be submitted to them through the Governor of Hong Kong for early 'acceptance-
(i) Location of the Force-Headquarters and main body at Hong Kong
with detachments at Singapore and Shanghai.
(ii) Composition of Force-Indians, with a sufficient proportion of
white officers and N.C.O.'s of a suitable stamp.
(iii) Organisation of Force.-The force to be organised by the Inspector- General of Police, Hong Kong, and the cost to be borne in full by the Shipping Companies concerned in proportion to their demands on it. (iv) Administration.-The force to be administered in the first instance by the Inspector-General of Police, Hong Kong, but, if possible, administration should later on be transferred to the Shipping Companies in order that the latter may assume complete responsi- bility for the internal protection of their ships.
(b) It is not for the Committee to suggest any modification of the decision to withdraw regular naval and military guards on the 31st March. If, however, the continuance of these guards for a further limited period is considered desirable, the Committee suggest that it should be conditional on the acceptance by the Companies before the 31st March of a scheme, such as that outlined above, and on the understanding that the guards are paid for in full by the Companies.
(Signed)
2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W. 1, March 1930.
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Secretary, Oversea Defence Committee.
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