question on the subject asked in the Legislative Council by the Honourable T. Jackson, one Unofficial Members:
Hon. T. JACKSON, pursuant to notice, asked "If it is true that the funds of this colony are at prosent being spent upon the construction of a fort in the Lyeemoon Pass, covering the pro- posed mine fieid, upon which it is intended to mount old 40-pounder guns, which have been ob solete for nearly twenty years, and which would prove utterly useless against modern ordnance.”
of the
(
attack, and not strong enough to resist it. Such, sir, I hold the fortifications now in progress to be, and it appears, to me the whole scheme of defence for this most important port will have to be reconsidered. Nothing less than making Hongkong impregnable will be sufficient. It has been said the coaling stations are to be protected in such a manner as that they may be able to resist surprises. I think there can be nothing more foolish. I hold that Hongkong ought to be entirely independent of the Navy. If unhappily we are involved in war with any of the great powers I have no doubt the Navy will find ample work elsewhere than in Hongkong, and I hope we will all be spared the sight of a British Admiral loitering in Hongkong when our commerce on the soas stands in need of protection. I hope the Admiral will be out seek- ing the enemy, finding him, and hammering him in days of yore. Providence and the strong right arms of our ancestors have handed down to us in the British empire as it at present! exists a noble inheritance, at once the pride and glory of British subjects of every race, and either the admiration or envy of the rost of the world, I hold it is a sacred duty to maintain, defend, and if need bo extend this empire, and in insisting upon the proper fortification of Hongkong, and making this gem of the eastern seas a place to which ships may resort for safety, we are doing our part towards this desirable end. Recent events in the Southern Pacific conclusively prove that nobler and more statesmanlike views of imperial policy can be taken by the colonies themselves! than by the mother country, where the energies and abilities of statesmen are so much occupied in domestic legislation and party strife, and where so many of our foremost men appear to be devoted to paddling their own canoes in the troubled waters of English party politics. (Ap- plause).
REC
139
C. 0.
4079
GEGA 10 WAR 35,
2
annex
also
a
report
of the speech which M
Mr Jackson
made on this occasion.
3.
effter consultation
with Lieutenant-General Sargent,
Ireplied
in the following terms:_
In putting the question, the hon. gentleman said -Your Excellency, recently when we werecalled apon in this Council to pass a vote towards the cost of the fortifications of this island I had grave mis- givings about the sufficiency of the measures then proposed, and my fears were realised when it. came to my knowledge within the past ten days that a fort is at present being constructed at the Lyeemoon Pass which is to be armed with 40. pounders wounted on old naval slides. I would require to be possessed of a good deal of that sort of faith which would enable me to believe to be true what I knew to be false if I believed that snob a fort would be efficient or was a fit and proper expenditure of our funds. I have heard it stated there is some doubt whether the funds to be expended on that fort are imperial or colonial funds, but considering that many of us, I think I may say all of us, and not only those who are here but many others in the colony, contribute not only to the colonial but also the imperial funds, I equally protest against im- perial funds being wasted, An eminent Royal Engineer has stated that insufficient fortifica- tions
fortifications at all; they are sufficiently strong to invite
worse are
than
no
atta K
4
With reference to the question of the Honourable Gentleman, I desire, in the first place, to take this opportunity of informing the Council that, on the 2nd instant, I forwarded by telegraph to the Secretary of State for the Colonics, the vote passed unanimously, on the 31st ultimo, viz.:---
"This Council now vote unanimously the sum of fifty-five "thousand six hundred and twenty-five pounds sterling (£55,625), "required as the contribution of this Colony to the effective defence "of Hongkong; it being understood that the armament to be provided "by the Imperial Government will be of the best and latest pattern "of breech-loading ordnance, capable of resisting attacks by the "heaviest modern ironclads." To this I have received the follow-
ing reply:
"Referrin