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boom obstructions have been thought necessary, and His Majesty's ships are ordered to make their own arrangements to repel torpedo boat attack.
As regards the question raised by the Governor with reference to the security of merchant ships in the harbour, it must be accepted that it is impracticable to absolutely deny the harbour (except docks) to a hostile torpedo boat. Torpedo boat attack on merchant vessels lying in defended ports is, however, not a likely form of attack, having regard to the naval conditions assumed in the Defence Scheme. The risks. involved to the torpedo boat in getting in and out of the harbour, and to the parent ship in disclosing her position to our ships-to say nothing of the danger of sinking neutral vessels would in all probability outweigh, in the opinion of an enemy, the possible advantages to be derived from such an enterprise.
10. Page 6, paragraph 11. Position finding.-The Colonial Defence Committee are informed that the 9.2-inch B.L. guns at Devil's Peak Lower Battery will be provided with a position finder, and that the War Office are in correspondence with the station on the subject of position finding for the 6-inch B.L. VII guns at Devil's Peak Upper and Pinewood Batteries (W.O., No. 57/Hong Kong/642).
11. Page 6, paragraph 13, and pages 49 to 53. Food supply in war.-According to Table C (iii), page 49, the contractor maintains a reserve of 61,500 rations of fresh meat (14 lb. each), and the military authorities a reserve of 25,000 rations of preserved meat (lb. each). The General Officer Commanding recommends the increase of the reserve of preserved meat to 75,000 lb., and the provision of a reserve of 10,000 lb. of preserved vegetables.
The Colonial Defence Committee consider that the arrangements for food supply should be such that there will be a reasonable certainty of securing in military hands two months' supplies for the garrison within, say, 14 days of the order to mobilize. The information contained in Table C (iii) and in paragraph 20 on page 53 is not sufficiently explicit to indicate what proportion of these supplies must necessarily be maintained as a reserve in peace, and they recommend that the War Office should communicate with the General Officer Commanding on the subject with a view to revising Table C (iii), and modifying, if necessary, the reserves maintained in peace.
Two amendments required in Table C (iii) are pointed out in paragraph 29, below.
Defence Scheme.
Chapter I.-Introductory Remarks and Strategic Considerations.
12. Page 11, paragraph 1.-The following paragraph should be substituted for paragraph 1, the first three words of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5 being at the same time omitted:
"Hong Kong is the naval base and headquarters of His Majesty's ships on the China station, and the most important British commercial port abroad.
"Before considering the strategic conditions which govern the functions and strength of the garrison and fixed defences, it may be useful to enumerate the foreign military forces which could be directed against Hong Kong by a Power which had obtained assured control of sea communications for a period sufficient for the organization and conveyance in transports to Hong Kong of a considerable military force."
13. Page 11, paragraphs 2 to 4.—The French garrison in Indo-China now consists of 11,598 Europeans and 14,935 natives. In addition, some two thousand European troops have been landed there during the China war and will probably remain permanently. Consequently, the garrison should now be reckoned as 13,600 Europeans and 15,000 natives in round numbers, and the largest force which could be put in the field for offensive purposes as 5,000 infantry and four mountain batteries. The nearest fortified French base to Hong Kong is Port Courbet, 460 miles distant.
Paragraph 4 somewhat under-estimates Russia's present power of concentrating troops in the Far East. The Siberian Railway proper is so far finished that there is direct steam communication from European Russia to Vladivostock, and 54,410 men and 11,407 horses were carried by the line at the time of the recent crisis in China. The Manchurian Railway, it is true, then suffered considerable damage, but in spite
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