243
SUGGESTED MILITARY RESERVA IN THE FAR EAST.
permament
23.All these considerations lead us to repeat and
erphasize the desirability urged in our Report of June, 1925 (C.I.D. Paper No.617-B) in favour of/
increase in our military forces in the Far East 80
that a small reserva may be available to mest emergen-
cies.
The arrangement whereby a large proportion of
the Infantry garrison of Singapore is to be transported
from India on or just before the outbreak of hostilities,
contravenes a principle rigidly adhered to before the
Jar whereby the garrisons of defended ports abroad were
maintained in time of peace at war strength. By an
increase in the number of troops stationed at Singapore
we should at one and the same time
increase the
security of the Naval Base and’
provide
a small reserve
available for emergencies in the Far Hast such as the
present.
24. In this connection we would point out that the
Governor of the Straits Settlements opposed the withdrawal
of even so small a force as two Companies of Infantry at
the present time, owing to the possible rep roussion on
the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States of
events in China.
25. In present conditions the only emergency reserve
existing in the Far Fast is in India. The cost of
obtaining troops fro India is so great that we think
this source should only be drawn upon in the last
resort.
-14--