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(iii.) The present Colonial Government Dynamite Magazine is now in dangerous proximity to Stonecutter's East Battery, and the Colonial Govern- ment is about to move it to the extreme easternmost point of Stonecutter's Island, which would interfere with the shore arrangements connected with the mine-field proposed by the Colonial Defence Committee.
(iv.) There are large petroleum tanks in British Kowloon near the Cosmo- politan Dock, which would be very liable to explosion by shots fired from Stonecutter's East and Central Batteries in protection of the projected mine-field.
(v.) The extra length of the mire-field required is a disadvantage.
Defence against Torpedo Craft.
10. The Local Committee concur in considering that at the outset of a war with China it would be very desirable if the Chinese torpedo-boats at Whampoa could be captured and destroyed.
Although the Pescadores, a possible torpedo station, are now in other hands, Whampoa remains the only torpedo station within striking distance (200 miles) of Hong Kong. In any case, the Local Committee consider that at present Her Majesty's ships must protect themselves against attacks by torpedo-boats of all kinds.
The only possible way of assisting the ships would be to have Q.F. guns on shore, flanking their anchorage ground, which presumably would be lighted by the ships themselves.
11. The Local Committee do not consider it desirable that, until the Chinese torpedo-vessels are put hors de combat, our war-vessels should lie in Tytam Harbour or in some other bay on the south side of the island.
They would be quite as safe inside the harbour, without further protection, as they would be in Tytam or any other bay on the south of the island. Ships of war would presumably only come to Hong Kong for purposes of coaling or refitting. Neither of these services could be carried out on the south side of the island. The road from Victoria to Tytam is narrow and very steep, and does not admit of prompt or easy communication.
12. The instructions as to protection of dock gates conveyed by the Joint Naval and Military Committee in their Report XI had not been received at Hong Kong at the time of the rendering of the Report of the Local Com- mittee of April 1894.
The Local Committee, having now considered the question, are of opinion that the only absolutely secure method of defending the dock gates against torpedo-boat attack is to surround them by a basin or camber with a narrow entrance; but as this scheme appears to be out of the question, they recommend that specially constructed nets or screens be placed across the entrances to the docks from pier head to pier-head. Drawings of these nets as proposed by the Dock Company have been made, and the Chairman of the Company, Mr. D. Gillies, has stated that he is of opinion that the Company would bear the cost of making the nets and keeping them in order. The pier-heads at the Kowloon Docks are roughly 70 feet from the caissons, but the effect of a torpedo exploding against the net at that distance from a rigid caisson is doubtful, and could only be ascertained by experiment.
Q.F. Guns.
13. The Local Committee note that it is proposed to substitute two 4.7" Q.F. guns for the three 64-pr. R.M L. guns at South Shore Battery, and two 6" B.L. howitzers for the two 64-pr. R.M.L. guns in Lyemun Central Battery. War Office letter No. 57/Gen. No./5480, Confidential, dated the 21st June, 1895, has been received by the last mail, confirming these proposals.
14. Preference was shown for a low site for Q.F. guns, as this point was laid down in the General Guiding Instructions issued to the Local Com- mittee by the Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence, dated the oth December, 1892.
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