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and the Naval Authorities, and, to ensure the greater effectiveness of such co-operation, the appointment of a Naval representative on any committee convened to deal with mat- ters relating to Piracy prevention is most desirable.

NEILAGE S. BROWN,

(Sgd.)

Representative Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

(Sgd.)

T. N. CHAU,

Representative The Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

(Sgd.)

T. T. LAURENSON,

January, 1925.

Representative Combined China Coast Officers & Engineers

Guilds.

NOTES ON PIRACY AND ITS PREVENTION.

By the Senior Naval Officer in Charge of West River Patrols.

(Commander M. R. J. Maxwell Scott, D.s.o., B.N.)

These notes refer purely to piracy in the waters between Canton, Kongmun and Hong Kong and the Delta in between, the question of sea-going trade on the China coast

is not touched upon.

The

(1) The only permanent cure for piracy in these waters is an efficient local Government determined to put down crime and having the necessary resources in men and money to keep up a river patrol and a trained body of police and detectives. goodwill of the local gentry and village headsmen is also necessary, whether it is obtained spontaneously or by fear of consequences.

(2) During the last nine months conditions in Kwangtung Province have been chaotic and there has been no law or order throughout the country districts. In March last conversations were opened with the Chinese Officials with a view to getting their agreement to the British Naval Forces co-operating with their appointed representative against the pirates. After a good deal of patience and negotiation Dr. Sun's Government agreed to co-operation. It was obvious from the start that the Chinese officials were suspicious of our motives and there was and is a strong party against co-operation with a foreign power. However after various delays a start was made and the Pearl River area was dealt with and considered clear by the end of April. The intention was then to carry on and deal with each troublesome area in turn, but every sort of obstacle began to arise and the Canton situation dominated the whole question. The British Naval Forces were practically tied hand and foot to Canton and the defence of the great interests there. Starting with the Shameen bomb outrage and progressing through the Shameen strike to the Volunteer Arms question, which concluded with the burning of parts of Can- ton and the disarming of the Canton Merchant Volunteers, there was hardly a breathing space during which any extensive campaign against the pirates could be even considered. As fast as one crisis was past and attention turned to anti-piracy another crisis arose in Canton.

(3) In spite of all this interruption a great deal has been done to deal with the piracy evil. General Li Fook Lum, the appointed Chinese official to deal with the pirates, has been enormously handicapped by want of men and money and especially gunboats or armed launches. An even greater handicap is the tremendous jealousy between all the various provincial troops and their commanders. All districts are parcelled out between these military commanders who extort what is possible out of their areas. They are much too busy doing this to have time or inclination to bother about pirates who do not damage their own pockets and in many cases no doubt contribute to their fortunes as

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