No Ransoms Paid by Government for Last Three Years London, Dec. 23.
In reply to a question in the [House of Commons today, the Se veretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Arthur Henderson, said His Majesty's Government had in no} way contributed to any ransom money paid to bandits by Bri subjects in China during the last three years.
The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, said he was satisfied that every! ing possible iwas being done by His Majesty's Navy to prevent practical outr British merchant-men in Chit As regards the methods being ade jopted to prevent such outrages, Alexander pointed out that} irates travelled on a ship disguised passengers, and the responsibil-Sty for design. with this form. roey' vested "primarily' withthe Shipping companies and. the civil aut thorities on, shore.
The First Loy! stated that His Majesty'
Navy. assisted in. the suppression of piracy by patrolling, in the vicinity of well known. bases, such as Bins Bay, in order to inter-Jcopt pirated ships before they were brought in and abandoned. He added that the pi ey committee under the} Governor of Hongkong was study. jing the question, and was constantly, ging upon the Chinese authorities the necessity of using every means their power to locate and round up pirates in the villages.
Mr. Alexander informed the House! lat the only additional expenditure to the Navy due to piracy was the least of fuel expended in special] patrols.
In reply to another question, Mr. Henderson said that he had received Ino intimation that the Chinese Government intended to abolish ex-
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