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Deep Bay und Starling Inlet, while the length of the line drawn along the hills to the north of Sham Chun must be nearly 20 miles. These latter distances are obviously far too great for occupation by any force which is likely to be available, and it may be assumed that the General Officer Commanding would select, as his first line of infantry defence, one of the narrow necks nearer to Hong Kong, where naval assistance would greatly strengthen the defence, and where his communications would be short and
secure.
From this point of view the action of the garrison in war is not a factor which need be considered in determining the exact location of the northern boundary of the leased territory.
6. The occupation of Sham Chun or of any such locality in the leased territory by the troops of the garrison must, in the opinion of the Committee, be regarded as a temporary arrangement undertaken pending the organization of the civil police force, and subject to immediate termination in the event of any probability of serious attack on Hong Kong. When this civil police force for the leased territory has been organized, armed, and trained, it may become a material aid to the general defence, and the extension of territory from this point of view, so far from weakening the position of Hong Kong, should ultimately add to its strength as a defended port.
7. In these circumstances the Colonial Defence Committee are of opinion that their previous recommendations regarding the garrison required for Hong Kong, as contained in their Memorandum, No. 173 M, dated the 7th March, 1899 (Utilization of native troops in Colonial garrisons), have not been affected by the acquisition of the new territory.
The more general question of increasing the force in China, for the reasons given in the last paragraph of Major-General Gascoigne's letter of the 10th May, 1899, appears to be one of general policy, beyond the scope of the present reference to the Colonial Defence Committee.
October 28, 1899.
(Signed) J. E. CLAUSON, Acting Secretary,
Colonial Defence Committee.
093
Approved by Soft for mar, 16/11/99, Concurred in by Admiralty, 22/11/99.
in 3576.
نمر
083
3659
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