PUBLIC RECORD.OFFICE
Reference :-
120
6
before the Committee's Report reached me, written a letter to your Excellency recommending the embodiment of volunteer scouts. From what I can gather personally, however, as well as from the Reports of the Commanding Officer, I believe that the young men of the Colony will not in time of peace join the force of volunteers, but I know that many active and very intelligent men of good position will join as soon as danger threatens; in my scheme of defence I do not, however, count upon this, but merely refer to it in answer to the Committee's observations.
16. As regards the Committee's remarks on stretcher-bearers, any number of coolies can be hired, who can do the work better than any soldiers in the world.
17. As regards the references to the Royal Navy in the Scheme, they are regarded as completely cut out, and the only aid I expect from the Royal Navy in the defence of IIong Kong is that, in the event of a pass being forced or Kowloon Peninsula carried, the saluting battery and many quick- firers on the "Victor Emmanuel" (guard-ship) would assist the defence in regaining its preponderance.
18. Although Formosa is not within striking distance of first-class torpedo-hoats, her inclusion among possible enemies has already been noted.
19. I have left to the last the question of fog. I cannot say why this important factor so much insisted upon in the Scheme under review was left out of consideration in previous Schemes. The fog is very stubborn, and shrouds the higher peaks for more than fifty days in the year and elevations about 1,000 feet for about thirty days in the year. The lower one descends the less the frequency of fog. The observatory at Kowloon keeps no record of how fog affects the mountain area, and although the dwellerson the hills can all testify to its frequency, no diary is available giving accurate information. The figures I have given are, I believe, rather under than over the mark. I do not think, however, that its influence would be wholly against the defence in fog as at night. Men who know the ground will be less hampered by the dim light than strangers, and in no case can the fog be put forward as a reason for frittering the defence into patches and groups, but rather serves as an argument for keeping companies as intact as possible.
20. As to the suggestion that boat mines might be laid in Aberdeen, Deep Water and Tytam Bays, this matter has been carefully considered and the proposal rejected because :—
(1) They would be no practical obstacle unless flanked by machine-gun or rifle fire, which it is opposed to the Scheme of Defence to push so far forward. On the other hand artillery fire might explode them.
(2.) They would interfere with the use of the coast by fishermen, who would therefore, unless carefully watched, purposely damage them. China- men, moreover, steal material that in other places would be safe, as has been found in the harbour, and this fact would necessitate constant watching and pátrolling.
(3.) The care and attention required to lay these mines could not be given with our present force without neglecting the main S.M.defences, and when laid they would require constant inspection and care, and there would be difficulty in carrying out the necessary periodical testing.
(4.) The limit of danger of these mines is about 30 feet, and an enemy would have little difficulty in exploding them before coming within that distance.
21. As the Colonial Defence Committee do not allow any non-existent means of defence to be counted on in the Scheme, I think it right to point out here that the movement of the heavy howitzers over the mountain paths and steep pathless slopes, and the preparation of emplacements for them, will be a work of many days; it should not be left until the time for their use comes round.
ديم
22. As regards an increase or change in the movable armament, I inclose (marked B) a copy of a letter that I have addressed to the Inspector- General of Ordnance.
23. I need not load this letter with any further detail; for the redistri- bution of troops into six sections now acted upon, involves but little change in the arrangements for transport, food, ammunition, stores, and medical nid, so minutely described in the well thought out 1894 Scheme of Defence, and
7
the map sent with that Scheme sufficiently explains the changes in the redis- tribution.
312
I need hardly say that the garrison has been frequently practised in defending and attacking the various sections of defence.
The other members of the Defence Committee concur with me in the Scheme I now put forward.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. BLACK, Major-General.
To his Excellency the
Governor of Hong Kong.
Enclosure (A).
Proposed Emplacement for two 6-inch B.L. Guns on Mount Davis.
From the General Officer Commanding in China and Hong Kong to the Secretary, Colonial Defence Committee, London.
Sir,
Head-quarter Office, Hong Kong, January 13, 1896. While fully aware how absurd it would be to erect a battery at every point where an enemy might land, I have the honour to call attention to the exceptionally favourable landing-place at Sandy Bay, less than 14 miles. distant from the Belchers group of batteries.
The landing-places on the south shore lead to steep broken hill slopes, or to the circuitous coast road; hence the assumption that an enemy would choose Sandy Bay and its neighbourhood within thrusting distance, over a broad, well-made road, of a vital point of the harbour defences and of Victoria.
No gun bears upon this water, and as the positions for infantry and for our movable armament to defend the landing-places can be swept by a cruiser's guns, it might prove difficult to deny a landing.
There is nothing to prevent in ordinary weather a landing on the shore of Mount Davis just north of Sandy Bay, and a successful push for its summit would enable the landing party to command the Belchers batteries within effective rifle range.
I therefore recommend that two 6-inch B.L. guns, with mountings admitting of great depression, be provided, and that emplacements for them be constructed on the summit of Mount Davis; these guns would sweep the trend of the coast down to the southern point of the island, command the dead water where a cruiser can now circle unharmed while shelling the western suburb over the col or covering a disembarkation, and would immensely strengthen the defence of the western entrance to the harbour.
As Mount Davis is 800 feet above the sea, I submit that no heavy masonry work is necessary, but only sound gun platforms, with cartridge and shell stores made secure from a rush by a sunken unclimable fence flanked by two small tambours or brick block-houses at the opposite angles.
In peace time a caretaker could find quarters in the block-house. Such a work is estimated to cost under 5001., and is, I venture to say, as necessary as the more massive structure recently erected on Sywan Hill above the Lyemun batteries, at a cost of 1,6001.
[337]
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. BLACK, Major-General.
D
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Page 895Page 896
changes in the redis-
quently practised in
hour with me in the
K, Major-General.
312
Mount Davis.
Kong to the Secretary,
| January 13) 1896.
a battery at every
call attention to the less than 1 miles
p broken hill slopes, hat an enemy would ing distance, over a
ur defences and of
for infantry and for
can be swept by a
landing on the shore cessful push for its le Belchers batteries
19, with mountings emplacements for these guns would oint of the island, le unharmed while lisembarkation, and rn entrance to the
mit that no heavy
with cartridge and able fence flanked
to angles. lock-house.
[ venture to say, as
ed on Sywan Hill
, Major-General.