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56.
and either:
3 patrol craft, as wasting assets until 1982, as first preference.
or
1 x UK artillery battery
Next to the preferred garrison costing £39M, this is the best case from the security stand point. The full requirement for forces to support the Police, in the event of widespread disturbances, would be very nearly met and the naval requirement in the preferred garrison would be met in full.
However, at a cost of £37 M it is the least financially attractive of the options to be considered.
57. The local cost of this option could be reduced significantly if the fourth Gurkha battalion were to be held outside Hong Kong but available as a reinforcement, in an emergency involving all three areas of potential disturbances, in advance of a possible battalion from the United Kingdom. When works services, equipment and support costs have been taken into account, in addition to the running cost of the battalion itself, £2M could be saved. This would leave a total local cost of £35M.
HONG KONG
20th March 1975
22
G.F. 316
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