Page 8
MO
CHAPTER I.
Page 8
2
and also the Chinese Eastern railway through Manchuria and Vladivostock, with a branch from Harbin to Port Arthur. There is, therefore, direct railway communication between Europe and both Port Arthur and Vladivostock.
6. Germany has about 4,200 troops in China, including the garrison of Kiao-chau. The new harbour works at Kiao-chau are progressing, but at present the German squadron may be said to refit at Hong Kong.
7. The strength of the United States' garrison in the Philippines is about 21,500 regular troops. In addition to the regulars there are 5,000 Philippine scouts, native troops commanded by U.S. officers, and 5,000 native constabulary officered by U.S. officers and Philippinos. Filipinos
8. The Chinese have of late shown themselves to be of little account as a fighting Power, and at present their ability to act on the offensive may be taken as small. It will, however, always be prudent to take into consideration the possibility of an attack from Chinese territory, which may become formidable in the future if undertaken by a Chinese army stiffened by a nucleus of foreign troops. In the present Defence Scheme, however, it is considered sufficient to consider the somewhat less remote possibility of a Chinese incursion from the direction of Canton. The naval forces and defended ports of China may, for the present, be neglected.
9. It will be seen from the above considerations that large expeditionary forces might be directed against Hong Kong by Russia and France, or Japan, if in possession of sea command in the neighbouring waters. An attack of this nature on a large scale cannot, however, be delivered so long as His Majesty's navy maintains sea supremacy, and the Admiralty have accepted the responsibility of protecting all British territory abroad against organized invasion from the sea.
It is recognized, however, that His Majesty's ships, engaged in hunting out and bringing to action the enemy's squadrons, might not be in a position to prevent an attempted "coup de main" on Hong Kong by a small number of vessels, including possibly transports carrying troops. But it is improbable that a raiding attack would be made by more than a few ships, nor could it have any permanent effect unless troops could be landed; while in no case could a large number of men be conveyed to Hong Kong without such arrangements and preparations as would bring the operations under the category of those, which could certainly be dealt with by the navy.
It is to render Hong Kong secure against raiding attacks of the nature indicated that the fixed defences and garrison have been provided; and for purposes of calcula- tion, the scale of raiding attack, which it is the object of these defences to render impracticable, may conveniently be assumed as one delivered by not more than six or eight armoured vessels, accompanied by two or three armed transports, conveying in all a maximum landing force of 4,000 men.
Cable Communications.
10. There are two lines of cable communication between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong which are all British except for the Egyptian land lines which form part of one which runs by the Eastern Telegraph Company's cable from Porthcurnow to Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, Suez, Perim, Aden, Bombay; thence by Indian Govern- ment land lines to Madras, and onwards by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's two cables to Penang and Singapore, and by its one cable to Labuan and Hong Kong. The other runs by one of the trans-Atlantic cables to Halifax or Canso, Nova Scotia ; thence by Canadian land lines and cables to Grappler Creek in Vancouver Island; thence by the Pacific cable touching at Fanning Island, Fiji, and Norfolk Island to Southport, Queensland; thence by Australian land lines to Fremantle, Western Australia; thence by Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's cable to Mauritius; and via the Seychelles, Zanzibar, Aden, &c. An alternative route not all British is as above to Australia; thence via Banjoewangie in Java to Singapore, &c. There is also one by trans-Atlantic cable and United States land lines to Sau Francisco; thence by American cable via Honolulu, Midway Island, and Guam Island to Manila; thence by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's cable to Hong Kong. There are various alternative routes, of which the principal are viâ Indo," making use of the land lines through Germany, Russia, and Persia, and the route round Africa. All of these touch or pass through various foreign countries.
Page 8
2 p3
CC
a
OT
Page 8
Page 8