6
94001/28.
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
28ow
1948 fee
20/1448 25/1948
14/1945 27/1448
23/1945
SECRET
C.0.S.(48)194
7TH DECEMBER, 1948.
CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE
COPY NO.
SITUATION IN HONG KONG
Copy of a letter (reference 94001/28/48) dated 3rd December, 1948 from the Colonial Office.
Thank you for your letter (to Trafford Smith) of 25th November about the Hong Kong situation. We have also seen the Chiefs of Staff telegram COSSEA 662 and the reply of GHQ FARELF, SEACOS 871. We are extremely grateful to the Chiefs of Staff for their prompt attention to the problems which are likely to arise in Hong Kong.
2. The suggestions of the Chiefs-of-Staff, mentioned in paragraph 4 of your letter, that the Civil Security Forces should be augmented by auxiliary and special police and that there may be some value in raising a Home Guard are being brought to the Governor's notice. The Governor has already been authorised to make any temporary increases in the police establishment which he thinks necessary without reference to the Secretary of State, and very recently he has asked the Colonial Office to recruit for him a number of additional European Inspectors of Police. A mers increase in numbers of Chinese police would of course be of doubtful value because as was mentioned in paragraph 4 of my letter of the 19th November, complete reliance could not be placed on their loyalty. As to the suggestion for the formation of a "Home Guard", the present proposals for the reconstitution of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force, of which the Oversea Defence Committee has approved, include an element which may be described as an equivalent of a "Home Guard".
3. Referring to the last sentence of paragraph 5 of your letter, we note that no additional land forces can be made available from outside the Far East theatre for use in Hong Kong, but we hope that if circumstances should make it necessary some assistance might be given by the presence of naval units or, as might be appropriate, by assistance from the Royal Air Force.
4. I enclose for your information a copy of a telegramó from the Governor of Hong Kong No. 1068 together with a copy of the Secretary of State's telegram No. 1242 in reply to it.
I am sending a copy of this letter and its enclosures to Brain at the Foreign Office.
+ COS(48)168th Meeting Annex II.
Annex I Annex II
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, S.W.1.
7TH DECEMBER, 1948.
(Signed) J. CARY MORGAN,