5
were contained in the second Ordinance.
I confess that in these circumstances
the reported assent of the Commodore-in-Charge
to the recommendation now put forward by the
O.A.G. is difficult to understand. It is
possible that the General has been influenced
by the consideration that the military
volunteers in Hong Kong are below strength,
partly on account of the business depression
in China which has cut down the European staffs
employed by the big firms in Hong Kong.
Having regard to the permissive
nature of the second Ordinance and the fact
that the first Ordinance is not sufficient to
allow the Colonial Government to maintain the
vessel of war which has already been accepted
by the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force as a
gift from the Admiralty and is in use by the
Force, I don't think we should at this stage
commit ourselves to supporting the recommenda-
tions of Sir T. Southorn. The territorial
limits of Hong Kong are so very small in
comparison with the neighbouring waters on the
South China coast, e.g., Macao and the
approaches to the Canton River, and the east
Bias Bay and the islands between it and
side
Hong Kong (only a matter of a few miles
beyond Hong Kong waters but essential lines
of approach in which the Hong Kong Volunteer
Force essentially a mine-sweeping force
might need to be used). I suggest that what
we really want is to obtain from the Admiralty
an assurance to be used by the Governor for
assuaging