Page 167
Page 167
con-
sent the ›red
APPENDIX.
as
hat
'e a
: is Tral
ear
ich
of
net
: to
It
sly eat
e.
are
are
of
ort
cer
༄ཤྩ ཎྜ །ལྦཎྜ ལླཙ ཤྩ
nd
ich
he
ix,
nd
he
of
ot,
to
ɔrt
(No. 1970/1.) Sir,
No. 1.
Letter of General Officer Commanding
Hong Kong, July 18, 1899. AS I consider the recent extensive acquisition of territory by the Colony of Hong Kong has in some measure altered the conditions of the employment of the troops under my command, and as also the work of the troops in this new territory has brought prominently to my notice certain points which may be deemed worthy of careful consideration, I have the honour to make the following report and remarks:—
1. Up to the date when it was found necessary to organize certain small expeditions to operate in the new territory, it had always been accepted as an axiom by myself and my predecessors that the garrison of this command existed purely and simply for the defence of this important coaling station, and that any necessary enlargement of British territory, with the exception of adding some small but important works to the Lyemun defences of the harbour, would not involve any changes in the general scheme of defence of the Colony. It should also be noted that the approved increased garrison is barely sufficient for the defence of the port, and it would be most unwise to reduce that garrison even for a short period.
2. Up to the date of the dispatch of these expeditions, the garrison was treated purely as a fortress one, necessitating only a very limited amount of mobility, and, in a large measure, I was entirely without the necessary transport, appliances, or stores, which are usually available in most commands.
3. Directly it became necessary, and at short notice, to dispatch these columns, it was found that the coolie system of transport as employed in the Colony, and which works well, as far as the fortress is concerned, utterly broke down; coolies absolutely refused to leave the Colony, inspired partly by fear and probably also by local pressure on the part of their kindred in the neighbouring Chinese territory.
4. So far as mobile armaments are concerned, I possess only one battery of 6-7-pr. field guns, which are not in any way suitable for employment in such a country as China, where roads for wheeled vehicles are entirely absent.
5. Owing to the absence of transport, the organization of efficient field hospitals and their necessary mobility became almost impossible.
6. That all the difficulties experienced in turning a fortress command into a mobile field force, and the success of this force, manoeuvring rapidly through a difficult country, were success- fully overcome, was in a great measure due to the excellent conduct of the troops. Companies of Asiatic artillery, leaving every possible article of impedimenta behind, covered long and fatiguing marches, carrying themselves their 7-pr. field guns; the guns, carriages and ammunition, being slung on poles. In the same way European artillery carried machine guns, and the infantry, when not employed on active operations, were kept busy in assisting the transport, supplies, &c. A certain number of coolies were obtainable in the district, which materially assisted; but, had these operations been extended, it would have become imperative to organize some better and more suitable transport.
7. I have already reported my satisfaction as to the rapid organization of these various columns; but I now consider it of importance to submit my recommendations as to how such unpreparedness might be prevented in the future, should the likely contingency of similar operations again occur on our borders, or the necessity arise of rapidly dispatching a small expedition for the protection of British subjects, or our commercial interests, at one of the many Treaty ports of China. I have consequently attached to the end of this Report my recommenda- tions, on separate papers, on the following heads :---
Royal Artillery. Transport. Medical Services.*
8. In these recommendations I have confined myself purely to certain changes in organiza- tion and some small additions to the native establishments and the upkeep of some additional stores, none of which would involve any large annual expenditure or increase of the number of troops beyond that at present laid down.
I have, &c. (Signed)
W. J. GASCOIGNE, Major-General,
Commanding in China and Hong Kong.
Under-Secretary of State for War.
Not printed.-SEC., C.D.C.
109
Page 167
Page 167
Page 167