CO537-(33-34) — Page 893

PUBLIC RECORD.OFFICE

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TIL CO.537

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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3. Theory and a practical experience of the ground both demand as great a concentration of the defence as the extraordinary broken nature of the island will allow. I therefore return to the principle of the earlier schemes of holding the higher ground with the guns on the salients com- manding the approaches and paths leading to the gaps, and reluctantly abandon the two Artillery positions H, and H1, because, while admitting their general immunity from fog and the strong cross-fire that they reciprocally furnish to their front, I find (1) that they are too advanced from the rest of the position; (2) that they would be exposed to a cruiser's fire covering a landing, and (3) that they could be rendered untenable by the fire of a few rifles from the hill on the Peninsula to the south.

4. But while adopting this principle, I venture to dissent from the criticism that it is only necessary to hold the higher passes over the main ridge by small infantry guards and machine-guns for, steep and rugged and in some places precipitous as the hill sides are, there is no gap that cannot be turned by scaling the intervening ridges, as our manœuvres on the high ground prove, and the breaking of bridges and destruction of paths would not delay infantry nor long delay the passage of light mountain-guns. Moreover, the distances from Deep Water Bay to Wong-nei-Cheong Gap, from Aberdeen to Wanchai Gap, from Aberdeen to Plunket's Gap, and from Pokfulum to Victoria Gap can be covered ou foot in thirty, forty-five, fifty, and thirty minutes respectively; there is therefore not much time if gaps were only occupied by small guards to reinforce them from a central position, i.e., Victoria. I only mention this to remove a misapprehension caused probably by frequent references to the inaccessible nature of some of the peaks.

5. As for Sandy Bay, within 14 miles of the Belcher group of batteries, it invites so tempting a thrust at our vitals that there is no need to argue the necessity of here directly opposing a landing.

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6. In a letter of the 31st July, 1895, No., I urged that emplacements for two 6-inch B.L. or other suitable guns be made on the top of Mount Davis and that the guns should be mounted on Vavasseur or other carriages admitting great depression, and I now inclose a somewhat similar letter (marked A). Pending an answer, I will nount, should occasion offer, two 8-inch howitzers on the top of Mount Davis; from this commanding position they might make a cruiser more chary of standing close in to cover a landing, and might even disable her by a chance shot. These guns, moreover, although they do not absolutely look into all the bays, generally flank the whole trend of the coast to the south-west point of the island, and the course of boats leading thereto; they enfilade for some distance the Aberdeen Road and its slopes, and cross fire with the guns on Mount Kellet.

7. It is clear that an enemy's occupation of Mount Davis would be as fatal To the defence of Belchers as the occupation of Sywan Hill has been recognized to be to the defence of Lyemun, but I need not argue further on this subject. The broad road from Aberdeen and the hither indented coast is the entrance while Mount Davis is the back-door to Belchers, and must be closed.

8. I have now redistributed the defence into six sections, marked out by nature as separate commands, and have posted the movable armament in very much the same positions as in the 1889 Scheme.

These sections are as follows:-

Head-quarters, Stonecutters

No. 1 SECTION.-Stonecutters Island. Central. No change in Garrison (see attached Distribution Table). E and F companies Hong Kong Regiment.

No. II SECTION.-Mount Davis, including Belchers and Victoria Batterics and Sandy Bay. Head-quarters, Upper Belchers. "D company Ritte Brigado encamped on the col between Mount Davis and the road.

Movable Armament.-On Mount Davis, two 8-inch howitzers. On high ground commanding Sandy Bay, two 7-pr. R.M.L. 3-pr. Q.F. guns, two Maxims.

guns, three

Communications.-Victoria Battery is connected by telephone with Belchers, where the Fire Commander is.

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The troops in this section, augmented by the Reserves, are to close the back-door into Belchers.

No. III SECTION.-The Peak from Mountain Lodge to Wanchai Gap. Head-quarters, Mount Gough Police Station. E and F companies Rifle Brigade and the Volunteers."

E company Rifle Brigade and the Volunteers in war time at the Peak Hotel, with outpost at night on knoll flanking Pokfulum Dam; in peace time encamped at Mount Gough Police Station. F company Rifle Brigade, Sanitarium, with outposts on Wanchai, Aberdeen Road.

Movable Armament.-Two 66-inch howitzers below Mr. Hutchinson's house south side of Mount Kellet.

Two 66-inch howitzers on Nout Camron, enfilading Wanchat- Aberdeen Road.

Volunteers. Six 7-pr. guns parkel at Plunket's Gap for use:-Two at Mountain Lodge, two at Ilacienda, and two at Mount Gough Police Station.

Six Maxims parked at Plunket's Gap to accompany troops. These troops observe Mount Davis on the right, guard the approaches up the Pokfulum Valley, Mount Kellet and Aberdeen, Wanchai and Aberdeen Roads.

This must obviously be a distinct section, separated, as it is, from the Mount Davis Section by the pass about 1,000 feet below it, and from the Wong-nci-Cheong Section by the great pathless bulk of Mount Cameron.

Many guns are distributed in this section, because, with the exception of the Wanchai-Aberdeen Road, the paths and slopes from the south and Pokfulum Reservoir can be commanded from many positions on the high ground, thus enabling us to supply the lack of infantry by shell fire.

The position of the two 6'6-inch howitzers on Mount Kellet is a very commanding one from the southern slope of Mount Davis by Aberdeen Bay right round to the head of Deep Water Bay, but of course these guns would be more valuable if they admitted of more depression.

The Wanchai-Aberdeen Road is so defiladed by a bulge in the hill that it can only be commanded from a shoulder of Mount Cameron; this was apparently recognized in the 1889 Scheme; of course, in this position also, the two 6 6-inch howitzers are only a make-shift.

Guns have a freer scope in this section than in any other on the island.

I assign the volunteers to the Peak Section, because they own the guns which are needed there, and because it is easy of access fronr Victoria and accessible by cable tram.

In the event of an enemy trying to force the Mount Davis back-door, his right flank would be seriously menaced and Mount Daris commanded from the slopes of High West.

Communications.-The Peak Hotel, Peak Club, and the Mount Gough and Victoria Gap Police Stations are all in telephonic communication with Victoria.

No. IV SECTION.-Wong-nei-Cheong. Head-quarters, Wong-nei-Cheong Gap. G and I companies Rifle Brigade.

G company encamped at Wong-nei-Cheong Gap with an outpost on the hill above Deep Water Bay (H, in 1894 Scheme). I company, at the Reservoir, will have an outpost at Tztam Tuk. This company is to defend the dam and oppose the advance of an enemy from the landing places on the south; this is a very strong position and the retreat of the company can hardly be compromised, as besides the Wong-nei-Cheong Gap, it can retire on Quarry Bay.

Movable Armament. Two 8-inch howitzers above Wong-nei-Cheong Gap.

Two 7-pr. (150 lb.) guns on hill above Deep Water Bay.

Two 7-pr. (150 lb.) guns at Reservoir.

Two Maxime, Wong-nei-Cheong Gap.

Two 6-6-inch howitzers at Quarry Bay Gap.

Owing to the depth of the ravine which the dam blocks there is no position from which guns can bear on the approaches to the dam, in fact the ground is so broken that there is nong between the dam and the summit above Wong-nei-Cheong. Tho two 6-6-inch howitzers at Quarry Gap bear on the knoll which the company at the Reservoir would naturally

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