CO129-521-2 Piracy in Chinese waters- anti-piracy measures 9-1-1930 - 10-4-1930 — Page 224

3

234

53557

62711/29

properly accommodated and employed in conjunction with properly

constructed and disposed grills, they are of considerable value

in preventing piracies, and in this connexion they would draw attention to Foreign Office Letter F.1726/7/10 of the

?

3907

26th (2711/137

april 1929 enclosing a report from H.M. Consul at Foo Chow

indicating in what manner these Indian guards can be satisfact-

orily employed. The truth of this statement has been

effectively demonstrated in the ease of the recent piracy of the s.s. Hai Ching.

6. Further, H.M. Minister at Peking has expressed the opinion that guards should be provided at the expense of the

Shipping Companies. It is hardly to be expected that the

Companies would be prepared to pay the heavy cost of Naval or Military Guards, and if put to them in that light they would

probably prefer to make better use of the cheaper guards which

can be provided from native sources.

7. Finally, My Lords would refer to their letter

M.02748/29 of the 5th November, 1929, enclosing a copy of a despatch from the Commander-in-Chief, China, on this question,

in which he clearly states that the Shipping Companies are little likely to help themselves until the guards have been

definitely withdrawn, and that it is the opinion of the unti-

Piracy Committee, with which he concurred, that when the guarda

are