APPENDIX B.
PART 11.
AIR FORCES REQUIRED TO ENABLE HONGKONG TO HOLD OUT
AGAINST ATTACK.
Against an Overseas Power.
The Air Forces considered desirable in the event of attack by an Overseas Power are shown in my submission No. 065 of 25th September,1925, addressed to the Commodore, Hongkong.
Paragraphs (12) and (13) of that paper appear to require modification, in that the Home Government appear to consider that the establishment of any aerodrome for war machines in the Colony is in contravention of the Washington Agreement.
2. – Against Chinese Attack.
The Air Forces necessary for warding off an attack by an Overseas Power are more than sufficient for holding out against an attack by the Chinese.
The latter attack may take place by land, sea or air: by land or sea the military and naval forces are considered adequate.
Against attack by air, the Colony is at present defenceless.
Such attack would, at present and probably for the next few years, be likely to take the form of the bombing of Victoria and or Kowloon by a few not very efficient aeroplanes.
To reply to this attack we should like to have, firstly, Fighters,to attack the enemy aeroplanes; secondly, Bombers,to bomb the enemy aerodromes.
But, unless the efficiency of the Chinese aircraft improves very considerably, the aircraft proposed as a Police Force in Part 1 of this report would, it is considered, be adequate to deal with any aeroplanes the Chinese are likely to send against the Colony.
(sd) C.P.Talbot, Captain,
1st December,1925.
The Part 1 to which reference is made dealt with aircraft for police work only and is not attached.
O