Aclosure 1.
R
CONFIDENTIAL.
Enclosure 2. A B
کیا کہ 80
sir,
HONGKONG,
29158
REG!! 23 JUN 151
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
20th May, 1915.
313
I have the honour to transmit the enclosed copy
of a letter from the General Officer Commanding the Troops in
China covering the Annual Reports on the Hongkong Volunteer
Corps and Reserve for the year ending 31st March, 1915. I
enclose the usual number of copies though I understand the
General Officer Commending has forwarded the reports direct to
the War Office this year.
2.
The increase in the numbers of the Hongkong
Volunteers and Reserves is due to the war and it may be said
that with few exceptions the whole male adult British population
of the Colony is enrolled in the Volunteers, Reserves or Special
Police.
3.
The needs of the Empire are fully realised høre
and much useful work has been done by all concerned in assisting
the Military Authorities to provide for the defence of the
Colony.
4.
I regret that the instructions contained in your
miscellaneous despatch of the 4th June, 1914, were not complied
with, but I understand that it was impossible to complete the
musketry retums until the last moment and the whole report has
therefore been rendered at the same time.
5.
I could not see my way to sanction training of
the Volunteers in street fighting for which permission was asked
last summer. I am stat of opinion that such exercises are
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,
800 .*
&C.
&C. 1
still