1937-12-31 — Page 5

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 31, 1937.

MILITARY AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY DEFENCE-CONSCIOUS!

LITTLE KNOWN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD (AND, IT MAY BE ADDED, TO HONG KONG AS WELL), HONG KONG TO- DAY IS TEEMING WITH MILITARY ACTIVITY AS BRITAIN'S “LITTLE GIBRALTAR” PREPARES ITSELF AGAINST AN AT- TACK, SAYS A CORRESPONDENT IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF "THE CHINA WEEKLY REVIEW IN SHANGHAL

Deepening of the Japanese crisis the Review writer reports, are paved and the movement of Nipponese so that guns can be drawn up to military and naval units in South carefully pre-determined positions. China are making the British If one approaches one of these new authorities increasingly defence-roads, the guard will question him

fas to what he wants. conscious, he reports.

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"Even as these lines are written He will be told that no one. comes the report from London that permitted on these roads, the cor--NEW YEAR, Hong Kong's defences are to be even respondent reports. further strengthened, that the Continuing this analysis of original defence schemes now nearly fence, the writer points out that completion will be augmented with the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps the new naval defence project for which in the past was more of the Pacific, supplementing the social undertaking is now seriously £20,000,000 being spent on Singapore administered and has been greatly and fortresses at Penang.

expanded. Manoeuvres, are held re- "For the first time it is stated gularly, and the corps now has an and equipment that capital ships will be perman-efficiency in man ently assigned to the China stations, which belies its reputation, he and the present fleet strength in relates.. Far Eastern waters reinforced with more submarines, aircraft, des- troyers and auxiliaries," he states.

16-Inch, Guns

ira-

The regular garrison in Hong Kong, the Review article reveals, has been considerably strengthened Manoeuvres Significant

and possesses the most modern Nestling in Hong Kong's hills are

equipment in use by the British -units of a vast military machine.

fighting forces: The backbone of built up recently at the cost of £5 this equipment is said to be 16-inch 000,000 so as to meet any threat and smaller guns mounted in The first indication that the Colony's

¡pregnable position. throughout comprehensive programme is near Hongkong. ing completion were manoeuvres. "One needs but visit an abandon- held on a large scale this spring, ed fort in Hong Kong to get an idea the activities of which were given of what the new forts consist of At the minimum amount of publicity, one old fort, I saw an 8-inch gun in the correspondent writes.

ja steel and concrete position that ap- During the past two years, one of parently, would defy almost any the chief factors of the defence thing. This abandoned position- programme is a network of countless commanding Lyemoon Pass-is roads. All the important.routes, (Continued at foot of Next Col)

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complete with underground passage, number of 4-inch anti-aircraft bat- a paved road leading to it, and with teries to carry out an almost im- an appearance so impressive that pregnable air defence of Hong one wonders why it has been Kong. In addition, Hong Kong

authorities have just announced abandoned," he states.

2

To-day, War Office engineers work two-week period of air defence man- like Trojans to complete the mount-oeuvres in which the Colony's popu ing of new guns and the building lation of a million and a half will of even more powerful positions. take part. Working with the utmost secrecy,

Chiefly a naval base, Hong Kong

these engineers will never reveal to is also preparing for attack anyone that 16-inch giants of war the sea. Manoeuvres of the first are moved under the cover of night on endlessly, cruisers, airplane car- to their strategic emplacements, the riers-submarines and other correspondent writes.

300 Planes Available

craft steaming out of the strategic Lyemoon Pass Within the main

our there is accommodation for One of the most important phases. in Hong Kong's land defence is not only 25 vessels of the regular against aerial attack Even the China fleet but more and larger ves- Hong Kong resident, he says, knows sels as well, the correspondent points that the anti-aircraft volunteer de out.

tachment has been more than doubl- of vital significance is the ed and the anti-aircraft garrison that Hong Kong may be utilised by Britain's allies, such as France and ilikewise.

Those in the know, he reports the United States, he asserts. [state that no less than 300 military Thus, he concludes, that in Hong airplanes are available for instant Kong's scenic hills may lie Britain'a use and that there are a sufficient are military cog in the Far East.