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13031/4
TOINT
JAK OFFICE
I
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1370 () (Bevise Draft)
attrchol letter from the Colonial on the Revise Draft of the Hong:
ill ront to take these comments into
you liscuss the aper again un For from Halte.
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that shall leve to ut out ret oft.
(Intl.) G.M.
to:-
1 section
Col.Chriuers, Colonial Office
13031/4/46 Port II
00 105
9th October, 1946.
Ref.:
CO 537/1261
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
N
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
N
сти
CO 537/1261
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
€
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leefet.
Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
2
X X X X X
We have now been able to examine the latest revised of the droit Popor by the Joint Planning Staff on the future garrison of Hong Kong (No. J.2.(16) 179(0)), and we think it may be of assistance to the Joint Planners to have a statement of the viow we take about the proposal th t ← locel militia or gondermerie mi. ht be roland in Hong Kon- to reploce at some future date the British garrison,
This eur 'estion origineted with the War Office. It hoe nover been communic tul to, or considered by, the Hong Kong Government, the Hong Kon· Delincs Committee, or the British Defence Committe in South Bant Asin. We pre overe on the difficulties with which the Wer Office pro Pacal in regeri to mon-power and of course reise no objection whatever to the proposal being considered on its merits t the awopriate time. But in view of the recommendation o' the Sout. last loia Defence Committed that it shoull neacntel in principle that a garrison of on vilich briṛnle and a icl regiment will be required in Hong Kong until centitions in China become more stable onl in the absence of consultation ith the local civil and militery authoritics we io not feel he to ro urther than th-t.
On the went on the ther the resent is an op ropriate time to take the notter Turth r, 7 ve little to rdd to my letter of the 20th September. It bean urred by the Hong Kong Defence Committee and the British Defenes Committee, South East Lain, that for the resent a ritirh marinon is essential because of the risk of attack by Chinese war lurle or guerillas, and this view, we understani, the Joint Mo toers and prepared to accept. It seems to us quite impossible to foresee how matters will develop in Ching or to fed on stiute of the time when it may be possible to iscount the thvent of large senle attack on Hong Kong from the Chinese meinls. "hen that time nrrives, the internal situation in Kon Kon itself may be quite different from what it is to-icy. In 11 the circumstances we consider that, as the proposal to raise a militia or endarmerio to take the place of the British garrison is at t Tesent a practical issue consultetima on the 1 oject now would serve no useful purpose.
We assume that the conclusion in paragraph 16(s) that the Corrison of Hon. Kong should consist of a British Force until the security of the Colony can be assured by a gendarmerie was not intonded to inv. lve any departure from the corresponding conclusions in are aph 11(n) : 13 (b) of the previous draft, nomely that in view or the recommendations of the South 1 st sia Defence Committe it should be acceptel in rinciple that n
arrison of one British b. dc and a field regim nt will be required in Hong Kong until conliting in China become more stable, on that local militis should be the eventual gorrison, although it is realised thet t'ia may not be possible for considerable per lod. It seems to un, however, tht t' onclusion in th totest ruvise may give in to son misunderstaming as to the continuing need for a British military rrison whilst the corlitions in
Ch no are unsubtled, an in vivo importance of this point, we would like to suggest that the original two conclusions in paragraph 14 (e) and (b) of the previous draft should be substituted for the conclusion in aguach 16(a) of the latest draft with, perhaps, the substitution of the wo: "ronlarta vie" for the word "militia" in the scoor conclusion,
}
Attache oв Anex II to the Minute.
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