London, Apr. 3.
The use of aeroplanes to protect [British ships from Chinese pirates was the subject of discussion at question-time in the House of Commons to-day.
Lieut-Commander Richard Tufnell, jnx., National Conservative member for the Borough division of Cambridge, asked to what extent alr reconnais jsances and air patrols were being used to safeguard British ships in Chinese waters.
Replying, Sir Bolton Eyres-Mon-sell, First Lord of the Admiralty, said that the type of piracy prevalent Chinese waters took the form of Jattacks from within a ship. In the jeircumstances, he added, air patrols would be of little use as a preven-ive measure.
Aircraft, he said, were employed against pirates as far as possible with the limited resources available.
recalled the great success with which aircraft had been employed. fin the two most recent cases of piracy (in the latest of which—the case of the s. Tungchow—the lives 70 school-children were involved), Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.