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maintained solely for the defence of the Colony.
There is ample evidence to show that from the start
of the negotiations there was no intention to
constitute a force for service other than the defence
of the Colony. It was not until the necessary steps
were being taken to give legal constitution to the
force that it was realized by this Government that
the term "Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve" was
inapplicable to the force proposed, and connoted
liabilities unsuited to the circumstances of this
Colony.
3.
The Force was therefore
constituted as the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Defence
Force under Ordinance No. 30 of 1933 for the Naval
Defence of the Colony, no member being liable without
having previously volunteered or consented to do so
to serve or proceed on duty beyond the limits of the
Colony, its neighbouring waters and its sea approaches.
In view of the limited scope of the Force it was found
necessary to omit any reference to the Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve. The Force thus constituted provides
the Force asked for by the Admiralty to supplement
the naval defences of the Colony.
4.
The Colony is now asked to change
the character of the Force into a true Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve with liability for service outside
the Colony. Apart from the fact that such a Force
was never contemplated by the Government there are
certain very serious objections to this proposal.
In the first place the European
5.
man-power of the Colony is strictly limited and in
a serious emergency every available European will be