CO129-521-3 Piracy in Chinese waters- anti-piracy measures 9-4-1930 - 20-11-1930 — Page 25

Report on the Organization of Police Anti-Piracy Guards to replace the Military Guards on board Merchant Ships on the China Coast.

25

1.

The decision of the Home Authorities in

April 1929 that the Military were to be withdrawn

from service as Anti-Piracy Guards on board British

Merchant ships in China waters with effect from the

1st April, 1930, made it necessary to make new

arrangements for guards and the proposal advocated

by the Home Authorities but by no means enthusiast-

ically received by the Shipping Community was to

replace the Military Guards by Guards recruited and

supplied by the Hong Kong Police who had previously

supplied Guards to numerous Shipping Companies and who

the Authorities reasonably anticipated could meet the

requirements of the Shipping Companies. Eventually

the Home Authorities agreed to extend the period of

service of the Military Guards on these terms from

the 1st April, 1930, until such time as the Hong Kong

Police could furnish the necessary new Guards.

was further stipulated that the Military Guards must

be paid for in full by the Shipping firms employing

them as must also be the new Guards furnished by the

Hong Kong Police. The Shipping Firms concerned i.e.:-

The Canadian Pacific Steamships Etd.

The British India Steam Navigation Co.,Ltd.

I.

II.

It

III. The Indo China Steam Navigation Co., Ltd.

IV. The China Navigation Co., Ltd.

accepted these proposals not without misgivings and a

conference