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second garrison artillery company would therefore be redundant if it consisted of garrison artillery. But it will consist, apparently, of men trained to man machine. guns, a duty which is has been definitely ruled is not to be performed by artillery but by infantry. It is very inadvisable that men whose services will be valuable, and fully occupied, in manning many of the 42 Maxim guns at Hong Kong should be permitted to devote part of their limited time to training at heavy guns, a service which will in no way improve their efficiency with the rifle and machine gun.
The Hong Kong Volunteer Regulations rightly lay down that the object of the corps is to aid the Regular troops in the defence of the Colony against foreign attack and to assist the Government in the repression of local disturbances. In view of the small proportion of British infantry available-the present approved Imperial infantry garrison is half a British battalion and three native battalions-additional infantry is more valuable than additional garrison artillery, and in the interests of the Colony in the event of the recurrence of local disturbances, such as those of 1864 and 1899, it is preferable that the Colonial forces should consist of artillery with mobile guns and infantry with machine guns, rather than of artillery chiefly trained to man forts.
For these reasons the Colonial Defence Committee recommend that "No. 2 com- pany, Hong Kong Volunteer Artillery," should be reorganized as a machine gun or infantry unit, specially trained to machine gun work.
10. The Committee do not concur with the proposals for giving a money bonus to members of the corps and they trust, although it is not so stated, that the matter has been definitely dropped.
They supported a similar recommendation in the case of the Cape Garrisou Artillery, which is cited in the correspondence (Appendix II, Sub-Enclosure No. 3, end), but the circumstances in the self-governing Colonies are very different from those of the small European populations of such Colonies as Hong Kong. Even in the case of the Cape, the originator of the proposal recognized that it was open to the objection that while getting in a great number of one class it would lead to the loss of many of the class then serving. The Government of Hong Kong make liberal provision to supply the corporate requirements of the Volunteers and to obviate the necessity for out-of-pocket expenditure by individuals, but an entirely new principle would be involved in a system of remuneration to members, and the Committee are of opinion that the change would not be conducive to the status and efficiency of the force.
11. With reference to the proposal to erect an instructional electric light installa-
120
tion near Kowloon West Battery in order to facilitate the training of the engineer Extruded
company of the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps (Appendix II, sub-Enclosure Nos. 4 and 6), the War Office are arranging to provide oil engine, dynamo, and projector of latest type, on the understanding that the stores are held in reserve for defence purposes and that the instruction given at this installation is to be auxiliary to, and not in lieu of, that obtained at the defence stations (W.O. No. 083/3903).
The Colonial Defence Committee recommend that before the projector is installed, the opinion of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, China Station, should be obtained as to the site chosen and the limits of training of the light, in order to avoid the risk of interfering with navigation lights.
March 16, 1903.
J. E. CLAUSON, Secretary,
Colonial Defence Committee.
(Signed)
Apperred by SBS W.
w.
wo
wm WD 083/3932 9/4/03
111, to
073
3903
wo Colo
fost contribute! £310 for building Co. 25/13/030 Adus approve
are M0926 22/8/03 40 083/3948
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