Sessional_Paper_1923 — Page 21

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10.-The Master's duty to defend his ship, and its consequences.

It is a tradition in the Mercantile Marine Service that the Master and his officers shall defend their ship against piratical attack. The obligation to resist pirates is also imperative under the existing Piracy Regulations. In our opinion it is essential that this statement of duty should be maintained and emphasized. It should, we think, be the first regulation in any new series. The master and the other ship's officers must be relieved of all duty to exercise a discretion whether to resist pirates or not. Their duty must be clear. If they do not resist their conduct should be submitted to enquiry. It is therefore just and necessary that they should be given a scheme of defence which has a good chance of success and in which each master for himself has a personal confidence. Resistance to pirates once begun cannot be abandoned. It is then a fight to a finish without quarter. The officers must be placed in the strongest possible position for defence on board their ship. They should also be able to rely on the thoroughness of the precautions taken by the Police Department and upon the support of efficient patrols. With reference to River Steamers we are of opinion that the hand of officers will be greatly strengthened in carrying out piracy regulations if owners were required to give a bond to the Harbour Master undertaking to pay to his order a sum not exceed- ing three months' salary of any officer who, in the event of his summary dismissal under a contract made in this port, may be able to show to the satisfaction of the Harbour Master that his dismissal is due in any substantial degree to his observance of the regulations. We also think that the present system under which officers are liable to dismissal on 24 hours' notice is unsatisfactory and that all officers on river steamers should sign on articles for not less than three months.

11. Conclusion.

Whatever measures are adopted in the Colony to prevent piracy their success will be only partial until public order is firmly established in the neighbouring Chinese Territories. The root of the evil is outside the waters of the Colony.

HONGKONG, 26th January, 1923.

J. R. WOOD, (Chairman).

C. Mol. MESSER.

C. W. BECKWITH.

H. P. WHITE.

P. M. B. LAKE.