The concentration was not accidental: pirates needed enough commercial traffic to make attacks pay. Vessels were most vulnerable where they slowed, maneuvered predictably, or followed established coastal routes. Hong Kong and Singapore therefore combined lucrative traffic with navigational conditions that made interception practical. Australian and New Zealand ships also contributed farther south, while major British patrol effort clustered around these commercial hubs. The geography of commerce is consequently central to understanding where the China Station deployed its forces.
Notable Point · 9:05-9:50
Why piracy clustered around Hong Kong and Singapore
Piracy concentrated where dense trade and predictable ship movements created worthwhile targets near Hong Kong and Singapore.