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Cenclosure
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, APRIL 2ND, 1985.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislativo Council was held yesterday afternoon. There were present:---
His Excellency the Governor, Sir GEORGE FERGUSON BOWEN, G.C.M.G.
Hon. Sir GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Chief Justics. Hon. W. H. MARSH, C.M.G., Colonial Secre-
tary.
Hou. E. L. O'MALLEY, Attorney-General.
Hon. A. LISTER, Colonial Treasurer. Hon. J. M. PRICE, Surveyor-Saueral. Hon. F. STEWART, Registrar-General. Hon. P. RYRIE.
Hon. W. KESWICK,
Hon. T. JACKSON.
Hon. F. D. SASSOON. Hon. Woxe SHING.
There were present Major-General Cameron, C.B., with Mrs. and the Misses Camerou, Major F. J. W. Davies, Assistant Military Secretary, and Lieut. T. C. F. Somerville. Aide-de-Camp to the General; Commodore Morant was also with General Cameron, and at the other end of the room were a number of members of the Chamber of Commerce and other gentlemen, who stayed to hear what passed with regard to the resolution the Chamber of Commerco last Friday deputed the Hon. T. Jackson to move.
MINUTES. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmaod.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-By direction of His Excellency the Governor I lay upon the table copies of telegrams and correspondence re- specting the armaments of the forts and dofences of Hongkong, &c.
THE DEFENCES AND TELEGRAPHIC COM- MUNICATION.
HIS EXCELLENCY-The Hon. T. Jackson will now move the following resolution :-
That in the opinion of this Council, there ought to be direct Tolographic Communication between Hong- kong and Singapore, the nearest British Settlement, and that immediate step: ba tokan to supplement the defences of Hongkong, by obtaining with the least possible delay a flotilla of torpedo launches fully equipped.
Hon. T. JACKSON-Your Excellency, before proceeding to speak to the resolution of which I have given notics, I would deprecute the idea that the Chamber of Commerce has shown any hostile feeling to the Executive of this Colony in connection with the action they have recently taken regarding the defences and direct. telegraphic communication. Her Majesty has rocently stated that an emergency has arisen, and it is in times of emergency that we should all act together and rally round the Governor for the common good. (Hear, hear.) I admit that some of the statements made at the Chamber meeting were rather wild, but the speeches made and the enthusiasm then shown evidenced a patriotic desire to leave no stone un turned to place the Colony (which is every- thing to us) in a proper state of defence. I desire to speak of men and things as I find | them, and it is only doing you, sir, justice to! state that from the day when you came to the Colony personally you have done everything you possibly could for our interests and missed no opportunity of showing your consideration for the Chamber, frequently referring to them for their views. Your requesting them to send a representative to this Council is an item in your policy which ought not to be forgotten. I now proceed to speak to the first part of the re- solution, namely "that in the opinion of the Council there ought to be direct telegraphic com- munication between Hongkong and Singapore." I admit that this is a question far more for the con- sideration of the Imperial than for the Colonial Government. At the same time the magnitude
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of the interests involved must be our justification for bringing it forward in this Colentat Legis“ lature. British interests north-east of Sing.. apore are of such paramount importance that there is a very general desire and opinion that we ought not to be dependent upen one line of telegraphic communication, no matter what eventualities might arise. I
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sure that the Eastern Extension' Tele- graph Co., who reap very large profits from telegraphic communication in this part of the 35 world, would be only too glad to meet Her Majesty's Government in any reasonable proposi- tion which may be brought forward, and in which this Colony can join. I earnestly hope your Excellency will see fit to bring this matter forci bly before Her Majesty's Government. I now coine to the second part of the resolution, "that immediate steps be taken to supplement the de. foucos of Hongkong, by obtaining with the least possible delay a flotilla of torpedo launches fully equipped." I must say it is with considerable diffidence I again raise this question in this Council, having already so fully alluded to it on the last occasion; "but there seems to be a general impression that the scheme now being carried out is entirely inadequate for the defence of the Colony, and that at the very least there ought to be two additional powerful casemated forts-one at either end of the harbour is necessary-and, further, that there ought to be some defensive works to guard the passes and the southern slopes of the island. I believe this is most imperatively required. And, sir, on this occasion, I believe the official mem- bers will join me. I earnestly deprecate dis- cussion on this most important subject, but I still more earnestly deprecate the necessity for it, and I hope Your Excellency will see your way to recommend the additional works. This will take some time, and in the meantime it is agreed by many that a flotilla of torpedo boats should be at once obtained. I would suggest to your Excellency the desirablity of these being first classs torpedo boats, and built in this Colony. The question will now arise as to the cost of all this. I must say it is a most important one, but at the same time it is, per- haps, better for us to put our own hands into our pockets than allow any one else to do so, and 1 do hope that larger views will be taken in the future than in the past, and that British states- men will see it is their true interest to go hand in hand with the Colonies, and not waste time and energy in fighting over money matters where urgent affairs of state such as defences of the Colonies have to be decided upon.
The How. P. BY MIB Your Excellency, I beg to second the motion which has been proposed by my hon. friend on my right. He has spoken so fully on the subjebt that he has left bat little for me to say. I am myself perfectly confident that no effort has been spared by your Excelloney to urge upon the authorities at home the desirabi- lity of proceeding rapidly with the work of the defences of this colony. That we all know, and this motion is brought to support you, sir, more than in any actagonistic spirit to you. There are always delays connected with matters that have been referred home, and I think it is no- thing derogatory to the Royal Engineer Corps in this colony to say that they may be perhaps-- I have heard of such a thing-that they may be tied down by instructions from the heads of their departments in England. They may not be able to do exactly what they require, and what we want is to have all trammels removed from those offers, and that they should bs able to do ri at they think propor. There is a strong el- ing in the colony--whether correct or not your Excellency will probably be able to tell us that the defences of the colony are not being pushed forward with the vigoar with which they might be, and it is in view of this fooling that my hon. friend has spoken, and that I speak in se conding him. I have no doubt your Excellency will have something to tell us upon the matter.
The Hon. W. KESWICK-Your Excellency, I thought that perhaps some of my junior col leagues in this Council would have spoken before me, but as no one has risen after my hon. friond opposite (Hon. F. Ryrie) I will proceed with the few remarks I have to make, which are general- ly to support to strongly support-the views expressed by the mover of this resolution. I
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