Copy of a letter from His Excellency The Governor to His Excellency The Commander-in-Chief, China Station
Enclosure No 4 of Secret Dispatch 5th September 1906
3rd September 1906
Sir,
I have received a letter covering the revision of the Hong Kong Defence Scheme which I have recently received from the General Officer Commanding the Troops in South China. Here occurs the following paragraph:
"Another point the Committee has before them was in both cases whether the Fleet present could either prevent the conveyance of torpedo craft to within striking distance of the Harbour, or the action of Torpedo Boat Destroyers in those waters. The Committee were unable to come to any decision without the advice of Experts, and as the question is alternatively connected with Harbour Defence, I think the opinion of the Naval Commander-in-Chief should be obtained on the subject."
2. As far as I am aware, the views hitherto held on these matters may be explained in an attack on their own provisioning against attack by these boats, that is to say, that His Majesty's ships will take measures that they would attack unarmed merchant vessels and that Dock Companies should make their own arrangements against attempts by these boats to destroy dock entrances; and as regards large torpedo boats, it is generally computed to within a certain radius of the base from which they can act, and that Hong Kong is not within that radius of any probable Naval base in China, &c.
3. The recent events which have led the Local Defence Committee to reopen this question of torpedo boat attack are no doubt the sinking of Japanese merchantmen by Russian ships of war and the evidence that has been given that the harbours of China might be used for the coaling of hostile ships, even if China herself were not in actual alliance with an enemy of Great Britain.
4. Personally, I am inclined to the belief that the danger of merchant vessels being destroyed by torpedoes in port such as Hong Kong is not sufficient to justify any drastic measures being taken to avert it, more especially as such measures could hardly be carried out without impairing the facilities for the free use of the port, which would be to the detriment of its trade.
5. I should be glad if Your Excellency would furnish the opinion asked for by Major-General Hamilton.
I have the honour to be,
Your Excellency's obedient servant,
The Commander-in-Chief, China Station
/3-7304 (593) Y.Nethan