CHAPTER III (E).
Page 51
60
+
The establishment of Supernumerary Staff provides for 2 military mechanist electricians, 2 M.M. engine-drivers, 1 M.M. Brennist, 1 M.M. coxswain, and 1 submarine mining storekeeper.
The establishment of the Hong Kong Company R.E. is 72 European Sergeants and rank and file, and 70 Chinese. At present 1 M.M. engine-driver, 1 M.M. coxswain of the Supernumerary Staff, and 1 European and 4 Chinese of the Hong Kong Company R.E. are wanting to complete establishment.
To assist in working the electric lights the Engineer Company of the Hong Kong Volunteers is available.
Establishment, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, and 28 rank and file. Present strength, exclusive of men on leave from the Colony, 30 efficients.
4. Vessels available are the submarine mining steam-vessels "Solent" and " Miner," a cable-lighter" Megohm," 6 junction box pinnaces, and a few smaller boats.
5. On mobilization one officer, a number of men of the Hong Kong Company R.E. and of the Hong Kong R.E. Volunteers proceed to each of the three Sections of the defence, to which mine-fields belong, for the purpose of working the electric lights and making complete preparations for the submarine mining defences as far as the work on shore is concerned; reliefs and supplies of submarine mining stores to be obtained by requisition to the O.CS.M. at headquarters, either through the Section Commanders or, under their instructions, direct to the O.C.S.M.
Those remaining at headquarters would be employed in general preparations for laying out the submarine mining defences, especially in priming apparatus, and, if specially ordered, in connecting up the mines, which would be required for the first day of laying out.
The distribution of officers and men for mobilization is given in Table E (iv).
On the order being given to "lay out the mines," all submarine mining officer's, except the lieutenant of Volunteers, and a certain proportion of N.C. Officers and men of the Hong Kong Company R.E., will return to headquarters, and will be at the disposal of the O.C.S.M. until the operation of laying out the mine-fields was completed, when they will revert to their Sections and have charge also of the mine-fields in their vicinity.
Any defects in mine fields will be reported at once to the O.C.S.M. at head- quarters, who will be responsible for supplying the submarine mining vessels, stores, and men to make good such defects.
The station torpedo officer will resume charge of the Brennan Installation, to which he would usually return on completion of the laying of the multiple cables of the defence.
6. In addition to his other duties, the O.C.S.M. will be an officer on the Staff of the Fortress Commander. In pursuance of his duties as Staff Officer for Submarine Mining he will frequently visit the different Sections to which mine-fields are attached to confer with the officers, who will be responsible for all arrangements being complete and in working order. In case of an attack he will proceed at once to the point where his services are most required.
7. On the order being given for laying out, which order will only be issued by the General Officer Commanding after he has obtained the concurrence of the Senior Naval Officer present, the O.C.S.M. will hire launches and men as follows
(1.) A powerful launch, to tow the "Megohm" when laying multiple cables, required for two days.
(2.) A fairly fast ordinary launch, to be utilized for sending testing parties, &c., to their respective stations, shifting junction-box boats while laying out is going on, &c. She will be required until the laying out is completed.
(3.) Twenty native boatmen to lay out multiple cables from the "Megohm," and subsequently to assist in heavy work in the submarine mining yard. They will be required for three days.
8. Experiments have shown that, provided about three-fourths of the established strength of the Company are available, the four mine-fields can be completely laid out, even in somewhat unfavourable weather, in three and a-half days.
Though the numbers actually available for laying-out during a mobilization would
be
COL
the
ΑΙ
mi
Z E.
N
ca
to
οι
ar
af
H
R
II
f
1
f
C
T
Page 51
Page 51
Page 51