CO129-521-2 Piracy in Chinese waters- anti-piracy measures 9-1-1930 - 10-4-1930 — Page 52

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(1)

While we are convinced that the necessary discipline can only be enforced, if this new unit is placed under the control of the naval or military authorities in the war sast,

we agree to making a trial of a unit under the control of

the Hong Kong Police, provided that it is constituted as a

definite an i-piracy unit with a 0.0. and sufficient

head-quarters staff of officers and F.C.. 'a secunded from

time to time from the navy or army.

(2)

As Government have said

ห

must pay for the contin-

uance of military aards during the period of formation of the new unit, we consider that we should have some say as the

numbers of men carried in each ship and it should not as in

the past be entirely at the iscretion of the naval or

military authorities to decide that question.

(3)

If we are forced to bear the whole cost of the new

force, we can only yield to pressure and agree, as fuarda are

imperative; but we must as British subjects and therefore

entitled to the protection of the British flag protest against

being burdened with the whole cost of a force, which is of

at least as much interest to the British Government and the

Colonial Governments of Hong Kong and Jingapore as to the

ahipowners, and wish to urge you once more to re-consider this

m uter and agree to these Governments haring the cost with

us in some agreed proportion. A point that should not

be overlooked is the importance of an adequate anti-piracy

force to H.K. Government from the point of view of expense

incurred by hips in succouring pirated ships and by

the liong Kong Government in dealing with pirates, apart

from other issues involved. be would suggest that a

fair share for shipowners would be one-third of the

tutal.

We