CO537-(205_1260-1262) — Page 614

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CO 537/1261

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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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 copyrig

restactions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet

even-in principle.

On the question whether the present is an appropriate time to take the matter further, we have little to add to my letter of the 28th September.

It has been urged by the Hong Kong Defence Committee and the British Defence Committee,

S.E.A.,

that for the present a British garrison is essential because of the risk of attack by Chinese war lords

or. guerillas, and this view, we understand, the Joint Planners are prepared to accept." It seems to us quite impossible to foresee how matters will develop

In

in China or to form any estimate of the time when it may be possible to discount the threat of large scale

When attack on Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland. that time arrives, the internal situation in Hong Kong itself may be quite different from what it is today.

Creates all the circumstances we do not feel that, aproposal to raise à militia or gendarmerie to take the place of the British garrison fally within the scope of practical isout

q consultations on polities, and it seems to us that any discussion of this

no cessful prepone. project at the present time would be divorced from

realities.

now

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On a minor print, the reformer to Discussime about the

We adhere therefore to the view that no useful

batman the ZAJIS famation of a gendarmair being continuat

purpose would be served by discussions between the

and the Co. (pazine 79mm (600) and 17 (4)) is not really War Office and the Colonial Office on the preparation

accuratt, de Seunk, Discussimo ham not bom begun.

of plans for the formation of a gendarmerie, which in

fast have not yet begun.

We assume that the conclusion in paragraph 16(a) that the garrison of Hong Kong should consist of a British force until the security of the Colony can be assured by

a gendarmerie was not intended to involve any departure

(62A)

from the corresponding conclusions in paragraph 11(a) and (b)

of the previous draft, namely that in view of the recommenda- tions of the South East Asia Defence Committee it should be accepted in principle that a garrison of one British

brigade

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