90.
Minutes of the Meeting of the Legislative Council held on the 13th November, 1918.
PRESENT:
His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, Hon. Mr. CLAUD SEVERN, C.M.G.
His Excellency Major-General F. VENTRIS, (General Officer Commanding Troops in China).
Hon. Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER, (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Mr. J. H. KEMP, C.B.E., (Attorney General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON, (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. Mr. E. R. HALLIFAX, (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).
Hon. Mr. C. McI. MESSER, (Captain Superintendent of Police).
Hon. Mr. T. L. PERKINS, (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.
Hon. P. H. HOLYOAK.
Hon. Mr. Ho Fook.
Hon. Mr. CHAN KAI-MING.
Hon. Mr. S. H. DODWELL.
Mr. A. DYER BALL, (Clerk of Councils).
H.E. the Officer Administering the Government-The following are the terms of the armistice which Germany has signed :-
A.-Clauses relating to Western Front.
CLAUSE 1. Cessation of operations by land and in the air six hours after the signa- ture of the Armistice.
CLAUSE 2-Immediate evacuation of invaded countries, Belgium, France, Alsace- Lorraine, Luxembourg, so ordered as to be completed within 14 days from the signature of the Armistice. German troops which have not left the above mentioned territories within the period fixed will become prisoners of war. Occupation by the Allied and United States forces jointly will keep pace with evacuation in these areas.
All move- ments of evacuation and occupation will be regulated in accordance with a Note (Annexure 1).
CLAUSE 3.—Repatriation, beginning at once, to be completed within fourteen days, of all inhabitants of the countries above enumerated, including hostages, persons under trial or convicted.
CLAUSE 4: Surrender in good condition by the German Armies of the following equipment :-5,000 guns (2,500 heavy, 2,500 field), 30,000 machine-guns, 3,000 minen- werfer, 2,000 aeroplanes (fighters, bombers, first D 7s and night bombing machines). The above to be delivered in situ to the Allied and United States troops in accordance with the detailed conditions laid down in the Note (Annexure 1).
CLAUSE 5.-Evacuation by the German Armies of the countries on the left bank of the Rhine. These countries on the left bank of the Rhine shall be administered by the local authorities under the control of the Allied and United States armies of occupation. The occupation of these territories will be carried out by Allied and United States garrisons holding the principal crossings of the Rhine (Mayence, Coblenz, Cologue), together with bridgeheads at these points of a 30-kilometre radius on the right bank and by garrisons similarly holding the strategic points of the regions. A neutral zone shall be set up on the right bank of the Rhine between the river and a line drawn 10 kilo- metres distant starting from the Dutch frontier to the Swiss frontier. In the case of inhabitants, no person shall be prosecuted for having taken part in any military measures previous to the signing of the Armistice. No measure of a general or official character shall be taken which would have as a consequence the depreciation of industrial estab- lishments or a reduction of their personnel. Evacuation by the enemy of the Rhine-lands shall be so ordered as to be completed within a further period of 11 days, in all 25 days after the signature of the Armistice. All movements of evacuation and occupation will be regulated according to the Note (Annexure 1).