Sessional_Paper_1927 — Page 103

99

In a speech made by him in Shanghai (1924) Admiral Sir Arthur Leve- son stated that the placing of armed guards on river boats was of little practical service and that increased patrols were in his opinion the only remedy, and that he was taking steps to increase the patrols on the Yangtsze.

The signatories hereto have taken up the question of Naval patrols with the Senior Naval Officer West River Patrols and his report is with the approval of the Commodore appended hereto.

Two observations only need be made on the substance of that Report.

First that it would appear from the Report that that portion of H.M. Naval forces which is stationed in adjacent waters is not adequate for the many and varied duties which devolve upon it and second that the report deals practically entirely with River traffic.

It is urged that a system of patrols on the lines indicated by the officer in ques- tion and a coastal patrol within the Danger Zone to be formulated by the Naval Authori- ties should be instituted at once. If the Estimates for His Majesty's Navy do not permit of the immediate construction of the indicated craft by the Navy it is urged that the Hong Kong Government might fittingly apply to this purpose the surplus shipping control funds as yet unappropriated to any particular purpose, or if these are unavailable for the time being, in the interests of the general trade of the Colony the Hong Kong Government should accept responsibility.

It is not within the competence of the signatories to this report to elaborate a comprehensive scheme of naval patrols.

It is however most strongly urged that an adequate patrol system on the lines sug- gested by the Senior Naval Officer West River Patrols and a coastal patrol are the only solutions of the existing state of affairs and that the Hong Kong Government should therefore at the earliest possible moment seek the advice and assistance of H.M. Naval Authorities at Hong Kong in formulating a scheme, in which event the signatories hereto will if invited be willing to render any assistance in their power.

Summarized briefly, if the guards are withdrawn, Grilles removed, (except those around the Engine Room and Stokehold entrance, and Bridge) an adequate fleet of Patrol craft provided, and Police Supervision, both ashore and in the Harbour materially re- inforced, there should be little to fear from the possibility of Piratical attacks in the fu- ture.

Co-operation Between Hong Kong Authorities and the Royal Navy. While the Navy is primarily responsible for the suppression of Piracy-in these and other waters— if the best results are to be obtained it is of vital importance that they should obtain the maximum co-operation and support not only from the shipowners and those who man the ships but also from the Harbour Department and the Police. The activities of the latter, however, should be confined entirely to protective measures ashore and to the ex- amination of passengers prior to embarkation. That the Local Government have not kept the Naval Authorities fully posted of information in their possession is exemplified in an incident which took place on the 2nd January of this year. It appears from information received by the Police that 20 pirates were supposed to have left Hong Kong by an un- known ship for Shanghai their object being to attack an unknown vessel on the return journey from Shanghai to Hong Kong. The Shipping Companies were requested by the Police to warn the Masters of steamers trading on that particular route. As the informa- tion was somewhat meagre, on enquiring from the Naval Authorities as to whether they could provide anything of a more definite nature it transpired that the Police. had not passed on their information to the Navy. They knew nothing about it! The foregoing only serves to illustrate the need for closer co-operation between the Local Government