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14. With reference to the recommendation by the Colonial Defence Committee in para- graph 27, it is suggested for consideration that the 6-pr. Q.F. at Stonecutters West Battery can be used as an examination gun till the new 6-inch Mark VII guns are mounted. This would save the expense of getting a 16-pr. R.M.L. out from England.
15. Various changes will be noticed in the new Manning Tables, D (ii).
Two companies of the Hong Kong-Singapore Battalion R.G.A. have been told off to coast defence armament only, one at the Western, and the other at the Eastern Entrance. The other two companies H.K.S.B. R.G.A. have been detailed principally to armament for general defence, No. 4 Company manning the 2·95-inch mountain guns, and No. 5 Company the 47-inch Q.F. and four 5-inch howitzers, each of these Companies find manning details in No. IV Fire Command which is Commanded by the 0).C. H.K.S.B. R.G.A.
Ammunition details have been omitted throughout as it is considered that the recesses and depôts would hold a sufficient supply for any probable action and could be replenished as necessary by coolie ammunition parties or the reserves.
The whole District Establishment allowed by Army Estimates has been accounted for, though the Establishment is not complete, nor will it be so until the P.Fs. allowed are erected.
Table D (iii), Summary of Artillery Manning, is suggested for insertion in the Defence Scheme.
16. The rearrangement suggested for Chapter III (E) has been adopted.
Table E (i) has been much expanded from its old form; this is a direct result of the reduction of the garrison, being an attempt to replace men by works. The transport of the necessary tools is a heavy item of expense, as can be seen by a reference to Table F (i), but arrangements are being made by which the bulk of the heavy tools and materials for works in Table E (i) will now be stored in the sections in peace time, so that at the "precautionary stage it will only be necessary to issue the lighter, more valuable and perishable stores, which will be done on the first day.
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17. Referring to paragraph 31 of the Remarks of Colonial Defence Committee, the actual condition of the telephone system at the present date is as follows:—
No. I Section.--Fortress command lines complete except fitting up, connecting up, testing, &c., which is in hand. The alarm circuits are complete except fixing gongs, which is in hand. The R.A. and R.E. command lines, in connection with Albion and Centurion Batteries, are incomplete.
No. II Section.-Complete.
No. III Section.-Fortress command lines complete, except fitting up, connecting up, testing, &c., which is in hand. The alarm circuit is complete except fixing gongs, which is in hand.
No. IV Section.—The construction of the lines in the Kowloon Hills is only just started. The construction of the R.A. command system in this section is in hand.
The lines in connection with port war signal stations have not yet been decided upon. The old Table E (xi) has been placed next to Table E (vii) and re-numbered, as these two tables are closely connected.
18. The information required in paragraph 33 of Remarks No. 373 R is now furnished in Chapter VI (6), paragraph 5.
19. Action by P.M.O.-The constitution of two new hospitals to be called "base hospitals," as provided for in previous Schemes, is abandoned in the present revision. They appear to be quite unnecessary. The military hospitals in Victoria and Kowloon are already thoroughly equipped, and the need for increased provision for the treatment of sick and wounded can be met equally as well by simply extending the already existing accommodation by the addition of the number of beds to each hospital as laid down in the amended Scheme. The duplication of these hospitals to be of any service would entail the duplication of most of the departments connected with their administration, e.g., the clerks office, steward's store, linen store, &c., necessitating a large staff or, as this will not be obtainable, working these departments with an insufficient staff. As, on mobilization, the military hospitals come under active service conditions as regards returns, supplies, &c., their separation on this score would not appear to be
necessary.
Paragraph 5 of the old instructions would appear to be the reverse of the proper action as serious cases of sickness and wounds will obviously be under better conditions for treatment in a building constructed and equipped for the special purpose and with a properly appointed operating theatre, than in a barrack-room more or less improvised for the emergency.
Paragraph 3 of the amended form has been drafted to meet these views.
20. (K.) Action by District Paymaster. It will be observed that the aggregate of the initial and weekly expenses at the "precautionary" stage amounts to 2,585 dollars = roughly, 2501. The grant for training purposes for the command for this year is 8007. Assuming that none of this grant had been expended, it will be seen that the " precautionary" stage could be maintained for a period of three weeks, without having recourse to special legislation (vide paragraph 13, Memorandum No. 330 M).
21. Chapter IV-The instructions to Section Commanders have been redrafted with a view to the additional copies of the Defence Scheme being issued as suggested by the Colonial Defence Committee (paragraph 35). Instructions to O.C Reserve have been added. Attention is directed to an instruction therein relative to a special detachment on Mount Parker. I look on this position on Mount Parker as the key of the Fortress, and, so long as it is held, anything previously lost may still be recovered.
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