CO129-544-17 Piracy- proposals for protection of ships 18-6-1933 - 23-8-1933 — Page 19

COPY

5387/1394/10)

No.917 (11/3.D/1933)

Copied to: C-in-C.

Shanghai. Sub-Legation.

BRITISH LEGATION,

PEKING.

29th June, 1933.

Sir,

19

I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of

a despatch from the Commander in Chief strongly urging

that ships trading on the China coast should be

fitted with grilles and supplemented when practicable

with an armed guard as a protection against internal

and external piracy, and requesting that the British

Shipping Companies should be approached officially in

the matter.

2. The Shipping Companies may be expected to object

to the erection of grilles, if for no other reason, on

the grounds of the expense involved and it may, therefore,

be difficult to press them in the matter.

At the same time

every possible precautionary measure for dealing with the

piracy problem must be fully considered and I accordingly

report this matter for any action which you may tuink fit

to take with the London principals of the suipping companies.

In the meantime I have instructed the Acting British

Consul-General at Shanghai to bring Admiral Sir F. Dreyer's

views to the notice of their Shanghai Offices.

I have, etc.

(Signed)

MI ES W. LAMPSON.

The Right Honourable

Sir John Simon, G.C.S.I.,K.C.V.O.,

etc.,

etc., etc.,

Foreign Office.