According to Reuter's correspondent in Hongkong, "the 'Hong kong Telegraph' learns that the Government is considering the matter of the compulsory equipment with wireless apparatus of vessels registered at, or frequenting, Ho: kong. It is probable that a bill shortly be introduced in the Legislative Council." It is to be hoped that our southern contemporary is well-informed on this point for a number of experiences in recent years have shown that some sort of provision is indeed necessary. The wreck of the Hong Moh is a case in point, for had that ship or the vessels which first saw her unfortunate predicament been fitted with wireless, assistance, in all probability, had been obtained earlier. Then again when the Hsintien sank off the Lammocks she was unable to call for help; it was the R. M. S. Monteagle who did it for her. Another consideration commends itself, and that is the protection from piracy which wireless would tend to convey. It is some years since a ship was destroyed and Europeans lost their lives in a piratical attack such as that on the str. Tai Qa in southern waters seven or eight years ago. But there was an instance where help might have been obtained, or an alarm given in sufficient time to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
