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CO 537/1260

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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CO 537/1260

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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Mr. Sabben-Clare

Mr. MacDougall called to-day and I took the opportunity to mention to him the proposal to withdraw British troops from Hong Kong; (you were not available at the time, otherwise I should have asked you to come along to the discussion).

Mr. MacDougall was strongly of the opinion that the withdrawal of British troops from Hong Kong would be the signal for an attempt on the part of the local Chinese war lords to sieze the Colony. He thought that, in present circumstances, it was not going too far to say that the withdrawal of British troops from Hong Kong would mean giving up the Colony.

Mr. MacDougall saw no objection to the consideration of plans for raising a gendarmerie, provided that there was no question of withdrawing British troops in the near future. In this connection, he expressed the view that it would serve a more useful purpose if, instead or being re-established as a volunteer force, the Hong Kong Volunteers became a special police force, trained in the methods of street fighting and dealing with mobs and disorders.

Hr. MacDougall was in favour of putting the latter suggestion to the War Office, as this special police force, when properly established and trained, might go some way towards meeting the need for a gendarmerie to replace the British troops. I said, however, that I thought that it would be a mistake to make any such suggestion to the ar Office at present or to do anything to further the proposal to withdraw the troops from Hong Kong.

I told Mr. MacDougall that we were proposing to put up a reply to the War Office, setting out the various objections to the withdrawal of troops from Hong Kong (including the one which he had now given me) and to say that we felt that it was a bit premature to start drawing up plans for a gendarmerie to replace the troops. If, however, the War Office nevertheless wished us to go into the question, we would be prepared to do so as a first step we should consult the Governor."

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