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all the passengers when Naval, Military or Air Forces appeared on the scene. Hitherto no such action has been taken by the pirates and to suggest it as a possible step might have the lamentable result of their taking such action.
13.
I told Mr. Swire that I had steadily refused to issue exact detailed order to H.M.Ships as to how they should act, as it is impossible to forecast how a situation might develop. I did not think it necessary to tell him that in the case of the "Shuntion" piracy, when the Captain of the "EAGLE" reported that he had located the pirates due to their foolishly firing on his aircraft and that retaliatory fire was carried out against them by H.M.S. KAGLE's" aircraft with machine guns, immediately signalled to him - "I will support any action that you consider desirable for the recovery of the captives. It is quite clear that if Mr. Swire's line had been taken, i.e. if we had been afraid to take action, the "Shuntien" captives would possibly still be in the hands of the pirates.
14. I think Mr. Swire may be troublesome when he gets home. He made a remark to be at the end that they hoped that Naval Officers would be amongst the captives each time, meaning, of course, that we had unden very complete action in order to rescue Naval Officers; but again, Mr. Swire in his attempt to be unpleasantly sharp- witted, did not know his facts. I was able to tell him at once that I thought his remark was a lamentable one and that no doubt he was unaware of the fact that the Naval Officers had volunteered to be hostages. He then apologised and we parted good friends.
15.
I have felt it advisable, however, to inform Their Lordships of this conversation as it appears that Mr. Swire and his company, whose late Manager, Mr. N.S.Brown, has just retired and gone home to Angland, may try to be tiresome on this anti-piracy question.
16.
It is interesting to note that in connection with the above on 22nd August, 1934, the Commodore Hong Kong, proposed the following amended paragraphs 51-56 for the Hong Kong Anti Piracy Fatrol Orders:-
"51.
The guiding principle is to take such action, and no more, as is necessary to ensure the apprehension of the pirates, while making every effort to avoid the massacre of the officers and passengers, which will in all probability be threatened to induce the anti-piracy vessel to withdraw.
*52. It is probable that the pirates will wait till nightfall before attempting to disembark if a man-of-war or other vessel is in sight. An anti- piracy vesmal meeting a ship known to be in the hands of pirates should endeavour to create a false sense of security by proceeding on her course without sign, end subsequently turning and shadowing. A determined surprise attack by boarding should then be launched as night falls, a searchlight being burnt to dazzle the pirates and give the officers and passengers a chance to escape.
/Should
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