CO129-547-3 China Piracy- anti piracy guards 25-1-1934 - 3-12-1934 — Page 49

ho. Inggeri

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6. I am further to remind you that the

view of H.M. Government has been that it is the

responsibility of the shipping companies themselves to

take the necessary precautions against "internal piracy",

1.e., disturbances arising on board their ships, though

as in the past, H.M. Ships will always be ready to

render such assistance as may be in their power,

consistently with their other duties, in quelling such

disturbances. The cost of any such precautions must

therefore fall upon the companies.

7. My Lords understand that, as a

temporary measure, an offer has been made to supply

guards from the garrison at Shanghai for British ships

from Shanghai to Tientsin. The War Office, however,

can only agree to this arrangement for a strictly

limited time until other arrangements can be made by

the companies and on the condition that the full cost

of the guard is recovered from them. [It is realised

that, prior to the 1st April 1930, guards were provided

for ships trading to South China under conditions which

included the repayment of "out of pocket" expenses only,

but this was entirely an emergency arrangement.]

8. Finally, on the subject of grilles,

I am to observe that, as far back as July and August

1933, after the NANCHANG affair, the British Consul

General at Shanghai, at the instance of the Naval

Commander.