CO129-532-6 Anti-piracy guards 2-1-1931 - 26-8-1931 — Page 10

SPECIAL ANTI-PIRACY GUARDS ON BRITISH STEAMERS.

(Commodore Hongkong No.H.K.0260 of 28/5/31.)

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The total combined guards employed by these two companies number four, each guard unit consisting of one suropean Police Sergeant, one Indian N.C.Ü. (who can speak inglish) and 8 Indians. when the present system was inaugurated in 1930 the represent- atives of B.I. and Jardines, with a view to economy, only applied for four full guards. In consequence it occasionally happens that a ship from 8ingapore finda no guard available, due possibly to a delayed Hongkong sailing. There is little danger in this, however, as the pirates require some weeks to organise a "coup" and they cannot know till the last minute that a ship, normally carrying a guard, is about to sail without one.

The following ships of these two firms are employed on the Singapore run:-

B.I. - 8.5. TILAVA, TAKADA, TALMA, SANTHIA,

BIRDHANA.

Jardine 8.8. KUTSANG, KUMBANO, HOSANG,

SUISANO, YUENSANO.

Taking an average, about eight (one-way) guard trips are made each month of which B.I. Ships make three and Jardines five. The firms pay the Hongkong Government proportionately.

Ehips of these two firma do not normally carry Asiatic deck passengers when on the Northern run, except in the case of certain Jardine Chips, with no defences, which carry up to 20 who have been guaranteed by the Compradore.

(iv) Band & ships now carry no indian guards on Coastal steamers.

(a) Their ships are on the following runs:-

TWO KALGAN class and six SUNNING class -

Hongkong, Swatow and hanghai.

TAIYUAN and TSINAN (both completed in 1950)

Hongkong, Amoy and Shanghai.

These ten ships share eight guard units between them, each unit consisting of 1 Kussian N.C.0, and 6

Northern Chinese.

Total number of guarda on Northern run 8 kussians, 48 Chinese.

(D) ANHUI, ANTUNG and ANBHUN (new ship) -

Hongkong and Singapore.

ANHUI and ANTUNG each carry 1 British Police Sergeant, 1 Russian N.C.0. and 6 Borthern Chinese.

ANSH UNG..

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