Fah Ling Kok. 353 川 (2) cannonade; and smooth bores very rusty. The Chinese do not consider this fort to be of any value, but use the barracks behind the guns. On the mainland are two forts;— Su ah Mud Fort is situated at an elevation of 80 feet on a spur. It is built of masonry and has barrack accommodation for 50 men. It is armed with one 17 Centimetre Breech-loading Krupp and one English R.M.L. very antiquated and unserviceable. On the land side, there are three smooth bores; the Krupp is clean and in good order.
Ling Kok is situated at the base of a hill and is entered from the back by steps leading down from barracks higher up the hill. The armament consists of three antiquated smooth bores. The Barracks would hold thirty men. Although the Amoy Garrison consists nominally of 4000 men, in reality, the number does not exceed as many hundreds of well-drilled men.
The armament has not been examined by an artificer since it has been mounted. Four rounds are fired every year from the larger natures of ordnance.
The only forts of any real value are Owlce and Pwan Shek, but I consider that at present, there would be little or no risk in a ship entering Amoy Harbour and taking the town.
Proposed additions to Defences.
The Total of Amoy intends to make Amoy into a first-class port if possible. He proposes to build a dock and erect an arsenal. He therefore wishes to secure the harbour from attack by strengthening its defences. To do this effectually would mean the fortifying of the islands of Taetan and Tsingsu, the entrance being 7 miles wide and quite impossible to protect effectually by Forts on Amoy Island and the mainland. To fortify these islands would, however, involve a large expenditure of money and require a considerable increase to the Garrison for them to be effective; they should be capable of holding their own against a strong Naval Attack.
The other alternative is to fortify strongly the Northern portion of the outer harbour by means of additional forts and by withdrawing men and guns from useless positions.
I would therefore propose:-
1. That Fort Rehshik be abolished and the 17 C.M. Krupp gun it contains be removed to Su ah Mud.
2. That additional protection be given to Fowlee by means of iron pallisading and that three Maxims be placed there.
3. That a battery of 2-9.2 B.L. be erected at ChinPah Kwan How Shau, which is situated midway between Fowlee and Pwan Shek and marked A on the chart. I would propose that only 6 feet of cover be given to the detachments and that the fort should consist only of a ditch and parapet; the glacis to be guarded by barbed wire entanglement and the ditch to have iron pallisading placed in it. This pit would enfilade Fowlee and bring a strong fire to bear on the channel. It also enfilades the island of Kulangsu.
4. That a battery of 2-6 inch B.L. Vickers' Q.F. Guns be placed behind Liau Kan on the hill Pung Lok Sik. These guns would also enfilade Fowlee and bring a strong frontal fire on the channel.
This fort is marked B on the chart.
5. That a battery of 2-6 inch B.L. Vickers' Q.F. Guns be placed on the island of Kulangsu at a height of 300 feet. These guns shoot down the centre of the harbour, enfilade Fowlee, and also bear on all the unprotected water marked C on the Chart.
6. That 1-9.2 B.L. and 2-6 inch B.L. Vickers' Q.F. Guns be placed on...