1
Copy.
083/4723
(M.0.1).
Bir,
25/3/14.
57
With reference to your letter No. 11462/14,, da ted
the 19th of March 1914, I an commanded by the Army Council
to place before you the following information for the consideration of Sir Edward Grey before it is finally
decided to reverse the decision that the extra garrison in
Hong Kong may be withdraw at the end of April.
The Army Council have made all arrangements for
carrying out the moves; the units in Hong Kong have been
informed that they are about to return to India, and a
battalion in India has been informed that their "ove to
Hong Kong has been postponed for about two months as a
consequence of the alteration in the programme of reliefs.
The additional units now in Hong Kong were sent
there over two years ago at very short notice as a temporary.
mea sure. The reversal of the orders when there is no
apparent change in the condition of affairs in China will create discontent among the men of these units, and will impose considerable hardship on the unit in India, which would then have to proceed to Hong Kong at a fortnight's
notice.
I am again to point out that the General Officer Commanding South China reported in 1911 (before the normal Hong Kong garrison had been augmented) that 650 infantry, including 350 British, could be spared temporarily from his
The Under Secretary of State,
Foreign Office,
S.W.
command
Page 60Page 61