Page 174
Page 174
!This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. January 1902.
4
SECRET.
No. 282 R.
HONG KONG.
C.O. No. 25442 S.
Defence Scheme revised to June, 1901.
113
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE present revision of the Hong Kong Defence Scheme shows a considerable improvement on that for 1900. The question of the method of occupying the recently acquired territory has been dealt with on lines which appear to the Colonial Defence Committee to be sound and satisfactory. The arrangements for transport and supply do not appear to have been sufficiently considered, and should now be taken in hand.
The covering letter of Major-General Sir W. J. Gascoigne, as President of the Local Defence Committee, shows a correct appreciation of the objects to be aimed at in the preparation of the Defence Scheme (paragraph 1) and of the advantages to be derived from interaction between the Defence Scheme and the annual tactical exercises (para- graph 14). Without this intimate correlation of theory and practice, peace manœuvres are not unlikely to be the vehicle of unsound strategic ideas, while the Scheme of Defence remains an academic study of an unpractical character,
Covering Despatch of Governor.
2. Page 1, paragraph 2, and page 5, paragraph 8. Colonial magazine. - The ? tong following extract from a despatch, dated the 8th March, 1892, of Sir W. Robinson, to the Colonial Office, on the subject of military lands, contains the first proposal to change the site of the Colonial Magazine which is traced by the Colonial Defence Committee:—
CC
• Major-General Barker has pointed out to me that the existence of the present gunpowder depôt on the old gaol site constitutes a danger to the East Fort, and probably to the neighbouring village of Yaumati, which would be increased by the contemplated addition to it (the depôt) in war time of all explosives now located elsewhere, and has suggested that it might be of mutual advantage if the magazine for explosives were removed to the east or north-east face of the hill at the east end of the island now proposed to be given back to the Colony.
"I have no objection to offer to this proposal, and as the construction of a new magazine, which is provided for in the Estimates for the current year, has not been commenced, Major- General Barker's suggestion can be given effect to, if the above proposals for apportioning the island are carried out.'
It would appear from this that the construction of a new magazine, on other than military grounds, was contemplated as early as 1891, and that the proposed change of site did not materially affect the cost. The present Governor states, however, that the magazine is quite suitable for the purpose for which it is intended, and that it is pro- tected by the hills on the island, and is at a considerable distance from any batteries or barracks.
In the absence of any information as to the probable contents of the magazine in time of war, and the character and situation of the buildings, the Colonial Defence Committee are unable to express any opinion as to the danger, if any, to the defences
[162]
B
Page 174
Page 174
Page 174