Page 129
Page 129
57/448 Kg/334
to be maintained, not only to meet the actual requirements of local defence, but also to supply in normal times reliefs to the garrisons which have to be kept up in countries other than those where the troops are raised. If this principle were departed from it would involve an increase to the already large number of troops stationed away from the countries where they are enlisted, which increase would be impossible so long as the system of voluntary enlistment is maintained in the British Empire, and would in any case entail an expenditure entirely disproportionate to the advantage which might result.
The principle enunciated above does not, of course, prevent troops from the normal garrison of a fortress or coaling station being taken away for active operations elsewhere if, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, the general conditions of the time make it reasonably safe to do this, and if it is possible to replace them shortly from the forces available in other parts of the Empire for offensive operations.
6. With regard to the alleged ineffectiveness of the armament the Colonial Defence Committee, while pointing out that a considerable armament of B.L. guns is now mounted at Hong Kong, cordially concur in the opinion of the inhabitants of the Colony that all muzzle-loading guns that still remain, including those of the movable armament, should be replaced by modern guns with the least possible delay. They understand that the Navy League have already been informed by the War Office that the muzzle-loading guns still mounted at Hong Kong for coast defence no longer form part of the approved armament, and will be removed as soon as the modern B.L. and Q.F. guns which have been ordered to replace them have been supplied.
66
7. The Colonial Defence Committee are unable to accept the views of the Hong Kong branch of the Navy League as to the necessity of a considerable extension of the fixed defences of the Colony. The idea underlying these views appears to be that it is most necessary that in time of war Hong Kong should be an absolutely self- defensible fortress in the absence of the fleet.' If hy this it is implied that Hong Kong should be able to resist the attack of a hostile fleet or of a large expeditionary force landed from transports convoyed by such a fleet, its acceptance would mean an alteration of the whole system according to which, not only Hong Kong, but important coaling stations in other parts of the world have been defended.
This system, as enunciated by the Colonial Defence Committee in a Memorandum quoted by the Duke of Devonshire at a meeting of the British Empire League in December 1896, is as follows:-
"The maintenance of sea supremacy has been assumed as the basis of the system of Imperial defence against attack from over the sca. This is the determining factor in shaping the whole defensive policy of the Empire, and is fully recognized by the Admiralty, who have accepted the responsibility of protecting all British territory abroad against organized invasion from the sea. To fulfil this great charge, they claim the absolute power of disposing of their forces in the manner they consider most certain to secure success, and object to limit the action of any part of them to the immediate neighbourhood of places which they consider may be more effectively protected by operations at a distance.
"It is recognized, however, that Her Majesty's ships, engaged in hunting out and destroying the squadrons of an enemy, may not be in a position to prevent the predatory raids of hostile cruisers on British ports. The strength of such an attack will vary in the different parts of the world, according to the strengths of possibly hostile navies, the proximity of their bases, and the troops that are or could easily be brought there in anticipation of war. It also varies from time to time with changing political combinations. But it is improbable that a raiding attack would be made by more than a few ships, nor could it be of any permanent effect unless troops could be landed. In no case could a greater force than a few thousand men be collected and conveyed without such arrangements and preparation as would bring the operations under the category of those dealt with by the navy. Against a raid of the nature indicated it has been considered necessary to make secure those places which are essential to the navy for coaling, refitting, and repairing.”
If a different system is to be adopted, and British coaling-stations are to be made "self-defensible fortresses ""
to resist the attack of the enemy's fleets, the action of British fleets being left out of account, the suggestions of the Hong Kong branch
Page 129
Page 129
that
له
Page 129