COPY
(orig. on 14882/45)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG
8th September, 1948.
B
(2/1677/48)S
SECRET
D: 41
Sir,
Anawx (7)
I have the honour to refer to your secret circular despatch
No. 14882/48 of 5th August, 1948, regarding Colonial Police Forces.
Commanders-in-Chief.
2. I have lately had under review the state of the various forces established in the Colony which would be available to deal with an internal security problem such as has recently arisen in Malaya. In particular the supply and correlation of intelligence has been the subject of considerable discussion between myself, the Commissioner-General and the Service
The conclusion which has been reached by myself and by the Service Commanders in Hong Kong is that arrangements in this respect are satisfactory. The main sources of information are the Police Special Branch, the Defence Security Officer, my Political Adviser and reports from the various British Embassies and Consulates in the Far East. Liaison between the above named officers is very close, and there is no possibility of any significant information which is obtained not reaching all to whom it is of concern. You are aware of the fortnightly and monthly intelligence summaries which are prepared by the Political Adviser; these are distributed to the Service Commanders and are also copied to the Commissioner-General in Singapore. Monthly reports by the Defence Security Officer and the Director of the Special Branch are also circulated to the Service Commanders, the Colonial Secretary and myself, while the Defence Security Officer's reports to the Headquarters of S. L.F.E. in Singapore are alse forwarded to the Ambassador in Nalking and to the Colonial Office (via M. I.5.). In addition, the Service Commanders' fortnightly conference is attended by the Commissioner of Police, the Defence Security Officer and the Political Adviser. Both the Services and I are satisfied that while perfection in these matters can never be attained, the co-ordination of security and intelligence information is well conceived and is satisfactory.
You? on he
ppreciation
3. You have already seen the appreciation which was forwarded to the Commissioner-General on the 17th April, 1948, and which was copied to you regarding internal security problems in Hong Kong. You will, therefore, be aware that threats of internal disturbance may arise frem causes connected with conditions or events in China. You will also be aware that the frontier areas of the Colony are liable to incursion more resembling external aggression than true internal disturbance. It is not impossible that a state of emergency and violent outbreaks in Hong Kong might synchronise with incursions of guerillas from across the Chinese border and thus involve those responsible for the security of the Colony in two simultaneous operations totally different in nature.
4.
Under existing plans the Police Force is primarily responsible for the suppression of internal disorder, a term which has so far been widely construed to include the guarding of the frontier between Hong Kong and China and operations against marauding bands from the disturbed areas across the border. The fighting Services may be used in support of the Police as required but it will generally not be the policy to involve them except where a situation has arisen which cannot effectively be dealt with by the Police. In Hong Kong, possibly to a greater extent than other places, security is dependent upon the state of the troops supporting the civil power because the loyalty of the entire Police Force may be subjected to trying political circumstances, the result of which might be a number of defections. That loyalty cannot therefore be fully guaranteed in all circumstances, and consequently less than 1/3 of the total number have been armed with rifes and automatic weapons.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
A. CREECH JONES, M.P.
50/