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Road from Wan-Chai Gap to Wong-nei-Chong.
5. The missing link in the defence of the south side of the island, caused by the absence of any road round the southern slopes of Mount Cameron and Mount Nicholson, is also shown in red ink on the plan forwarded.
I entirely agree with my predecessors in command here, who have repeatedly urged its vital importance to the defence. See especially Major-General Black's letter of the 18th August, 1897, No. 1453/5 D. The construction of this road by the Colony in exchange for the surrender of the Military Reserves on Mount Cameron and Mount Nicholson has already been approved in principle between the Secretaries of State for War and the Colonies. But although the Colonial Government has executed a satisfactory trial trace (as previously reported), the actual construction of the road has been deferred (indefinitely, as I fear), for the reason given above in paragraph 1.
6. If the vital importance of this road to the defence and the necessity of pushing it forward have not yet been fully recognized, it can only be, I think, because the map of Hong Kong and the general tactical conditions of the defence on the south side of the island have not been fully considered. I will therefore briefly summarize the existing untoward conditions which, in my judgment, render its construction of primary importance.
7. We have at present no road whatever in the important central section of the general southern position between Wan-Chai Gap and Wong-nei-Chong Gap, except the difficult and slow rear communication afforded by descending northwards from Wan-Chai 450 feet down to Bowen Road, passing along Bowen Road and ascending again to Wong-nei-Chong.
8. By this the defence is cut in two in the centre into two separate and, more or less, independent halves, and any question of sending reinforcements from one flank of the position to the other in time for early and efficient action is precluded.
9. Middle Gap, in the centre of the whole position, is left isolated and defenceless, with no road to it from either side. But Middle Gap is a most favourable point for an enemy to attack, as it is only distant 13 miles from a very good landing-place at Deep Water Bay, with a good road for an enemy's forward march from thence to Little Hong Kong, half-way to Middle Gap.
There is also an excellent road from Aberdeen to Little Hong Kong, giving an enemy the choice of two good landing-places for attacking Middle Gap.
10. The road here recommended, round the contour of Mount Cameron and Mount Nicholson, would enormously improve the tactical situation by enabling troops to be brought from either flank to Middle Gap.
11. Such a road would completely outflank, envelope, and command an enemy's line of attack towards the re-entering angle at Middle Gap, and a moderate defending force on the very favourable commanding position afforded by it would be in a position to make a good defence against largely superior forces of the enemy.
12. If General Collinson's contoured map of Hong Kong be duly studied, the above conditions will be at once apparent, the extremely adverse character of the tactical conditions of the defence in the centre of the position will be manifest; and the paramount necessity of the construction of the road in question to remedy them will, I feel certain, be recognized.
13. I have recapitulated the above facts at length in order that my views as to necessity for these roads may be fully understood.
14. In the present situation, I would here propose for consideration, as the only way of getting the work executed within any reasonable time, that the War Department should advance the necessary funds to the Colony, on an undertaking guaranteed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the sum so advanced will be repaid by the Colony to the War Department within a specified term of years to be agreed on between the respective Secretaries of State.
15. Should the War Department, as above, advance the funds, the amount so required will be very approximately as follows:-
For a road 12 feet wide from Wan-Chai to Wong-nei-Chong, over 3 miles
4.
£ 3,000
Ho
For the first portion of the road only--
£
From Tram Station to Belcher, as far as the col (the Colony to construct the remainder later), 1,300 yards, feet wide, on trial trace already executed
500
Circular road round High West, similar 8 feet wide, about 2,000
yards, say
800
Total for High West road
1,300
Total
4,300
16. The above sum of 4,3007. represents therefore the maximum liability incurred if the War Department should advance all the funds.
17. This sum will be spread over two or three years, as the Colony will hardly be able to spend more than 2,000l. in any one year.
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