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there are the docks at Aberdeen, and the reservoir and its works at Pok-fo-lum, which are essential parts of the city, and must be con- sidered in any plan of defence.
Hongkong is accessible to an enemy from the eastward through the Lye-ee-mun Pass, from the westward by Sulphur Channel, and from the southward by the innumerable creeks and bays on that side of the island where an enemy's force could easily land at any time, and from which three lines of road lead to positions overlooking the city and harbour, the Wanchai Gap road from Aberdeen, the Victoria Gap from Aberdeen or Pok-fo-lum, and the Pok-fo-lum Road by Mount Davis. The writer leaves out of consideration, for the purposes of this little work, the possibilities of attack from the north.
Hongkong, if attacked, will be approached by one or other of these three roads, most probably by two of them at once, possibly by all three.
Any man in his senses looking at the map and then walking round the island, or, better still, going round it in a launch, would say without hesitation, "Well, there is no difficulty about defending the Ly-ee-mun Pass. Even the Chinese could do that." It is a deep narrow passage about half a mile long and about 1,000 yards in width. The writer need not describe or attempt to describe it. Every one of his readers doubtless knows it well. A strong work there, armed with a few powerful guns and assisted by a small corps of torpedoeists, would render that channel impassable to any fleet until the work itself had been taken, and a casemated fort could surely be erected there at comparatively little expense, so manned, provisioned and armed, that no enemy could take it by a coup-de-main. With such a fort, no man of war could approach, on that side, within range of the city or shipping. The Hung Ham docks, the nearest exposed point, is distant some three miles from the Pass.
At the other end of the harbour the water approach is more open and less defensible, but is still capable of being made almost impregnable. The western extremity of the island is a lofty mountain rising almost precipitously from the water's edge. From there northward to the western point of Stonecutters' Island there is about 2 miles of water, but less than a mile from Mt. Davis and to the northward of it stands Green Island, and the deep water entrance to the harbour passes between Mount Davis and Green Island. North of Green Island and extending nearly all the way across to Stonecutters' Island is a shoal that bars the greater part of that water-way to big ships. There is another deep water channel close to Stonecutters'. Would any man, knowing this entrance, have any hesitation in saying where a fort should be placed to defend it? Even the artillery men, the uneducated gunners who are employed about the batteries now in course of erection on Stonecutters' Island and at Belcher's Point, ask amongst thems Ives why Green Island is not fortified! A strong caseinated fort there would command the approaches to the island from the south, would rake every vessel approaching in that direction from the moment it came within range until it actually entered the channel
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and turned broadside on to the fort at less than 1,000 yards. vessel of any size could enter the harbour from the southward with- out passing within easy range of the guns and remaining for some time under their fire. Flanking batteries on Stonecutters' Island and Belcher Point would, of course, add immensely to the value and defensive power of the fort on Green Island, but the real defensive position is there, and the flanking batteries are almost useless without the central work. A strong fort on Green Island, adequately armed, would alone render the task of forcing an entrance to the harbour at that side no easy one.
It must further be remembered that such a fo:t on Green Island would afford effective shelter for the torpedoeist and his gear at the very spot where he has to operate.
On the south side of the Island, what has the Colony to dread? Land ing parties only, soldiers, sailors, and marines from an enemy's squadron, operating on shore with machine guns and the lightest description of field ordnance. What could they do? Blow up the docks at Aberdeen, blow in the dam of the reservoir and cut off our water supply--press across the range by the various paths and get into positions to com- mand the batteries and the town with their fire. The entrance to Aberdeen harbour ought to be defended by a small fort with two powerful guns on Tree Island. This, too, would be an additional defence for the western entrance and would cross its fire with the Green Island fort. The entrance to Aberdeen being thus blocked against shipping, a landing party of any ordinary strength might safely be left to be e countered and dealt with by the infantry of the Gar- rison and the Volunteers with their field guns. The Royal Artillery would be in the forts at the Lye-ee-mun Pass and Green Island, and these forts being casemated and complete, each in itself, would need no infantry to cover them or aid in their defence. The artillery of the Garrison should muster about 160 men the two batteries cannot be under that strength-which should be sufficient to man sixteen guns, two guns in the Aberdeen fort, seven guns for the Lye- ec-mun and seven for the Green Island fort. These guns so massed would be far more effective than double the number more widely distributed. To back these forts, so armed and manned, there would be afloat the Wivern and her torpedo boats, and the torpedo corps, with the Esk and her sister ship the Tweed; on shore the regiment in Garrison 800 strong, and probably 200 more able- bodied Europeans, Volunteers, to take the place of the artillerymen with the mountain guns, and in the magazines, &c.
Who will say that this would not be an effective plan for the defence of the island? The narrow entrance at the Lye-ee-mun, two and a half miles from the nearest part of the town and barbour, guarded by a powerful casemated fort, armed with seven powerful guns, so con- structed as to be safe from a coup de main, and manned and provisioned. A small torpedo establishment attached to it and protected by it. A similar fort on Green Island with its torpedo staff. The Wivern,
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