|_ CONFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 29th. January,1
,1917.
143
In continuation of my Confidential Despatch
of the 22nd. January, I have the honour to inform you that in reply to the questions described in paragraph 6 of my Despatch put by me to the General Officer Commanding, Major-General Ventris has informed me that he "cannot recommend that this important place, with North China dependent, should be left with less thm lt battalions of infantry who can be moved about at an hour's
notice".
In a subsequent conversation Major-General
Ventris has informed me that while he considers the Engineer Company and the two Artillery Sections of the Hongking Volunteer Corps indispensable and the infantry as a valuable reserve he could spare a limited number of the latter arm.
2.
On the 25th. instant I had an interview with
the deputation representing the signatories of the letter referred to in the 4th. paragraph of my Despatch under reference. I informed them of the terms of the reply which I proposed to send to their letter and I amplified my answers in the sense I had employed at my interview with the employers of European labour mentioned in the same paragraph of my Despatch. The gentlemen I interviewed put forward very strongly the view that unless they had some documentary evidence to show that they had offered their services
RIGHT HONOURABLE
WALTER LONG, M.P.
*C..
&c.
to