53
of the high authorities be reasonably adequate. That they are
very far indeed from being reasonably adequate has been the
view of Admirals Lambton and Winsloe, and of Generals Broadwood
and Anderson, whose strong representations as to the in-
-adequacy of the Garrison and its armaments I have transmitted
to you. This was also the view taken by the Inspector-General
of the Forces, Sir John French, who reported at the instance of
His Majesty's Government. To this view publicity and currency
has now been given by General Sir R. Pole-Carew's recent state-
-ment (14th. March, 1911) in Parliament when he used the follow-
-ing words:- "We find at Hongkong..
......one British Battalion,
"two Native, and a few guns neatly arranged on the sky-line to
"be shot at. I asked a famous Admiral how long it would take
"to knock them out. He said 'About four hours'."
(c).
The constant argument of the Unofficial
Members who urge that the Contribution is beyond the re-
-sources of the Colony, is that the Garrison here is largely
maintained for Imperial purposes (a) for the defence of the
Naval Docks and (b) for the defence of British interests and
British lives and property in Peking, Shanghai, Tientsin and
other places in China. I have argued at great length against
this view pointing out that the existing Garrison is none too
large to protect Hongkong itself in case of attack, but Lord
Haldane's recent utterance (15th. March, 1911) in Parliament
lend's