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Appendix No. 4.
HONG KONG.
that I am totally opposed to arming them or to allowing them to form any portion of Her Majesty's combatant forces. They have no loyalty towards their own country, and cannot be expected to have any towards ours. Some of those who know the Chinese are of opinion that, even if enrolled as soldiers, they would from being well paid only remain in our service as long as matters went smoothly, but that, with orders from China, or under a strict discipline, they would desert to a man.
One of our best authorities states that they are not to be trusted with the charge of stores or magazines. Now, we know from experience that Indian troops are to be trusted, and are trusted, as guards to magazines, stores, and treasure. From my own observation, I consider the Chinese would not make as good soldiers as the Indians, and are not as fit to cope with Europeans as the Sikhs are; but for a coolie corps or a pioneer corps they would suit admirably. Even if the Chinese were more fit for soldiers than they appear to me to be, I should still be averse to their employment as a local force; there are already too many on the island; and in the event of a rupture with Russia, China might consider it too good an opportunity to lose for striking a blow at our power in these parts, and then the Chinese on the island would, from their numbers, be a source of trouble and inconvenience, unless all were sent back to China who could not give such security as would satisfy us that their lot was cast in with our own. Those allowed to remain should be kept well away from the defending force, for, from their habits and style of life, no Commander directing the defence of Hong Kong would be justified in allowing them to reside in the neighbourhood of the troops.
In the proceedings of the Committee it would have been more satisfactory if all the representatives of the different British commercial firms and bankers had had an opportunity of stating their views as to the formation of a local force. In the Appendices I find that out of forty answers to the queries of the Committee three only, the Honourable W. Keswick, the Honourable P. Ryrie, and Mr. Jackson, can be said to have a real stake and interest in the Island of Hong Kong. As a matter of course, I attach more importance to their views than I can to those of the rest, who, with much the same experience of the Chinese as I have myself, and with no stake in the Colony to risk, with the exception of, perhaps, a few trifling investments in houses and land, have no interest in Hong Kong beyond what, I trust, is common to us all-a desire to see such an important out-station of Her Majesty's Empire thoroughly impregnable.
G. W. DONOVAN, Commanding China, Hong Kong, and Straits Settlements.
(Signed)
Hong Kong, March 3, 1880.
Inclosure 7 in No. 88.
Governor Hennessy to Sir M. Hicks Beach.
(Secret and Confidential.) Sir,
Government House, Hong Kong, March 16, 1880. SINCE my despatch of the 6th instant* was written, inclosing the Report of the local Com- mittee on the proposed scheme of supplementing our small Imperial force by recruits to be raised in returned the Colony, the Naval Commander-in-chief on the China Station, Vice-Admiral Coote, C.B., to Hong Kong. As I referred, in paragraph 10 of my despatch, to the views of the naval authorities, that is, the views of Commodore Smith, R.N., and Captain Cleveland, R.N., of the "Iron Duke,” I took the liberty of sending Admiral Coote a copy of the Report of the Committee and the principal papers connected with the inquiry, including Major-General Donovan's dissent from the recommen- dation of the Committee as to employing any Chinese for combatant purposes, and a copy of my despatch for any observations he might think fit to favour me with.
It is
2. I have the honour to lay before you a copy of my letter to him and of his reply. satisfactory to see that, broadly speaking, he concurs in the views of the Committee in their Report I agree with the Admiral as to trying the experiment of employing Chinese for combatant purposes. in thinking that the Hakkahs are the best available material for this purpose.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. POPE HENNESSY.
Inclosure 8 in No. 88.
Governor Hennessy to Vice-Admiral Coote.
(Secret and Confidential.) Šir.
Government House, Hong Kong, March 12, 1880. DURING your Excellency's absence in the southern part of your command, a Secret Com- mittee, appointed under instructions from Sir Michael Hicks Beach to consider the possibility of raising a local force for the defence of Hong Kong, sent some questions to the Senior Naval Officer then in Hong Kong, Commodore Smith, R.N., and to Captain Cleveland, R.N., of the "Iron Duke." I presume those officers have mentioned this to you, and that you are aware of their views.
2. To complete your information as to the proceedings of the Committee, I now send you its Report, and the observations of General Donovan upon it.‡
3. I also send you Sir Michael Hicks Beach's despatch under which I appointed the Committee,
*Inclosure 1.
† Inclosure 3.
Inclosure 6.
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