One reason for the incomplete grilling in the "TUNGCHOW", I understand, is that complete grilling would in her case make it difficult for some of the passengers to get to the boats, but such difficulties are not insuperable, and special rules should be made in connection with ships on the China coast.
71
It is noteworthy that no new ship designed to prevent piracy, and fitted with adequate protectige measures, and guard, has been pirated.
20. In regard to the searching of ships, although Major Bourne at Shanghai comes to the conclusion that such searches are difficult and "not really satisfactory or any insurance of safety", yet the comparative immunity of Jardine Matheson's ships (on which those searches are carried out) can hardly be accounted for wholly by the fact that they run fewer ships on the coast than do Butterfield & Swire.
21.
It is satisfactory to note that Messrs. Butterfield & Swire are arranging that all deck passengers and their baggage proceeding by their coastal ateamers shall be searched before embarkation at the various ports, and also that they are looking into the question of what structural alterations can be effected to provide protection in their ships now trading on the Northern route, and that they are increasing the strength of their armed guards by 50% and providing them with better weapons, and that they have inaugurated a system of inter- communication by wireless between ships of their own line and that of Messrs. Sardines as regards the Northern waters.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMEND TIONS.
22.
(1) Pirates' lairs to be abolished.
Piracy will not cease until the Chinese authorities clean up the pirates' lairs in Hong Hai and Bias Bays so that it is practically certain that if a piracy ooðurs the pirates will be brought to book.
Action proposed.
Continued pressure to be brought by H.M.Diplomatie representatives on the Chinese officials concerned both at Nanking and Canton.
(2) Ships to be protected.
as far as possible all ships to have adequate grilles and protective measures fitted. It 18 suggested that British ships carrying passengers on the China Coast should be given certificates 'A', 'B' or 'C' by British authorities at Hongkong or Shanghai as follows :
Certificate 'A'
O
Certificate 'B'
Certificate 'C'
Ship "pirate-proof" as far as possible 1.8. -
(a) Adequate grilles to be fitted. (b)|British) guard to be supplied. To Ship and native passengers
searched before ship sails.
(d) Ship to be fitted with efficient /T, with (say) kilowatt power
in the aerial.
Ship partially protected and supplied with a guard and efficient W/T.
Ship unprotected, no guard and no efficient /T.
The Commodore, HongKong, has informed me that Messrs. Butterfield & Swire invited his anti-Piracy Officer to inspect the plans of the Tungchow",
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.