At present, the number considered requisite to exclude strangers from the Works in progress is 7 made up as shown below; I have assumed that our own men cannot be always on the works, & that native Caretakers would be useless for the purpose.
Fly Point! Upper & Lower Belcher 1, Stonecutter West 2, South Shore Lyemun Redoubt 2, Central 1
I would add that as far as my experience goes it is unnecessary to provide guards or sentries for unfinished Works, at any rate until the preparations for the forts are in an advanced state; if this rule were adopted the Sentries at Fly Point, Belchers Battery, & one of those at Stonecutter West might be dispensed with for the present, thus reducing the number to 4. Of course there will be still numerous places from which people can look into the Works, many of these places not being on W.D. property; to guard this would require a regular cordon around them, such as Fly Point, Belcher & Lyemun.
10.5.87.
Col. Ch
Existing
11/593/87
RECR
REGE 14 JUN
Kowloon Dock, & Stonecutter last, have guards & sentries by day & night. No unauthorised persons can have gained admittance to these, & there is no reason to suspect that such has been the case.
The guns in these Forts can easily be seen, mounted from the sea, at 200 yards or more. & the 2 first named forts are commanded by high ground which quite overlooks the work & guns.
About 2 Months ago Stone-cutters commenced to move the gun-carriages, & platforms for the Reverse, Central, & West Batteries of Lyemun Fort to their respective positions; & he has to guard sentries to look after the Batteries, furnishing 2 Sentries by day & night, with orders not...