408
un
months by the presence of E..S. Hermes with a flight of
socnlanes: and the experience has boen important as
foreshadowing the value of Polico eviation in a Colony hero natural obstaclos to rapid aommunication are/usually
serious. For purposes of defence the Air Fatrol of the
Frontier maintained by the soeplenos of H.H.S. Hermes has
been of great value as a deterrent to the operations of
striko pickets which I have described in my despatch 10.72
of 16th February and has demonstrated the necessity of
providing an Air Force Arm for any complote Scheme of
defence that may be devised.
4.
In this connection, I request your attention to
the article extracted from the Hongkong Daily Press of
February 9th 1926, which forme the first enclosure to
this despatch. Tho development of aviation in Canton in
an organised manner has been under consideration for a
long time past: and the rapid march of events in the
Province (especially in military matters) augurs
Aeroplanes have
the early establishment of such en arm.
already been used in the recent fighting in Kuang-tung,
end, though they are probable, as yet, of little material
value, their development may be expected. In any case the
fact that they could, even now, fly over the Colony of
Kongkong with complete impunity, must be a source of
anxiety.
5.
H.M.S. Hermes utilised seaplanes only: but the
Naval Authorities found it necessary to provide some
accommodation ashore for her lend machines, and this was
found on the West portion of the Kai Tak reclamation neer
Kowloon City, on which temporary sheds (eo markod on the plan which forms onclosure 2 in this dospatch) voro
orected.
The Admiralty ordered on the 17th November that
Σ
not reproduced
2.