It is the armed robbers and kidnappers who are a constant menace to the live of our men and the peace of the Settlement, and it is fighting against these desperadoes that the best qualities of our men come out. Robberies are most common between pin, and 11 pam, but may of} course occur at any time. No man when he goes on duty can be certain that before he reports off duty' he will not have had to engage in life and death struggle with a party of armed robbers. When whistles} are blown at night every man runs towards the sound with his hand, Should he robbers in flight, he can be certain they will open fire on sight, and he knows he has'to stand up and return the fire. Bright buttons and badkes have all been exchanged for: Diack to make our men less visible at night. Ty day, it is easier to grasp the situation quickly when the: alarm is sounded; but the danger much the same, though daylight robberies are less frequent. Cases: in whic's men of the Chinese Branch have failed to answer a call are extremely rare, though the numen. cal odds are always against them, Man walk in pairs in the more loncly and rougher districts. 'The chal of suspects Is one of their ice if such willy carry their pistols in their hands conceal ed their long sleeves, and open fire' fon the police the moment they are' challenged. Our men have to be: ready to reply at express speed. The most dangerous and successful robbers often wear well cut silk. gowns, at first sight in no way. Aifferent from good luss Chinese gentlemen; so the respectable appearance of a man challenged for search is no guide to his subsequent actions.
The following gives some ken the work done by the Chinese Uniform Branch in the fact of danger] from January 1927 to March 1928.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.