CO129-232 - Acting Governor Marsh Acting Governor Cameron - 1887 [4-5] — Page 293

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

286

Memo. for H.S. The Major Gent Com! :-

Unauthorized persons have at times been seen on & about the Works; as soon as observed they have been ordered off in accordance with instructions issued by my predecessor, Colonel Walker.

A good many of the works can be looked into from higher ground at a moderate distance, & a person provided with a telescope could see in this way a great deal of what was going on.

At the same time persons possessed of necessary knowledge & skill could certainly obtain much valuable information from a close inspection which they could not obtain so well from an outside view, & this would be especially the case as the works draw towards completion & the arrangements for Mounting & serving the guns & their limits of range, etc., can be seen. For the most part, however, the works here are only now approaching the state in which information could be acquired. Lyemun is the only instance in which Works of first importance have until now reached that stage & there has been a guard there for some time. A much more serious source of danger is in my opinion the selling of valuable information by the Chinese Contractors & Artisans whom we are forced to employ to carry out the work. We entrust these men with almost every particular of the work done; they are quite clever enough to give tolerably full information to the effects of Foreign Powers, & many of them would assuredly do so could they make thereby considerable profit if they sold it.

We have certainly not hitherto possessed the necessary means for effectually excluding strangers from the Works; our N.C.O.s & men employed on them do so as far as they can, but they are not there out of working hours or on Sundays. Many of the Works are in Batteries, of which some are eventually enclosed by an iron fence; & at Lyemun Redoubt for instance, which is enclosed by a ditch, the ditch has only just been far completed to form a barrier. Under these circumstances a great many men would have been required to guard the Works at first; as they approach completion, when precautions become necessary, fewer men of course are needed as there are fewer open points of access.

Suffice it...

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286 Memo. for H.S. The Major Gent Com! :- Unauthorized persons have at times been seen on & about the Works; as soon as observed they have been ordered off in accordance with instructions issued by my predecessor, Colonel Walker. A good many of the works can be looked into from higher ground at a moderate distance, & a person provided with a telescope could see in this way a great deal of what was going on. At the same time persons possessed of necessary knowledge & skill could certainly obtain much valuable information from a close inspection which they could not obtain so well from an outside view, & this would be especially the case as the works draw towards completion & the arrangements for Mounting & serving the guns & their limits of range, etc., can be seen. For the most part, however, the works here are only now approaching the state in which information could be acquired. Lyemun is the only instance in which Works of first importance have until now reached that stage & there has been a guard there for some time. A much more serious source of danger is in my opinion the selling of valuable information by the Chinese Contractors & Artisans whom we are forced to employ to carry out the work. We entrust these men with almost every particular of the work done; they are quite clever enough to give tolerably full information to the effects of Foreign Powers, & many of them would assuredly do so could they make thereby considerable profit if they sold it. We have certainly not hitherto possessed the necessary means for effectually excluding strangers from the Works; our N.C.O.s & men employed on them do so as far as they can, but they are not there out of working hours or on Sundays. Many of the Works are in Batteries, of which some are eventually enclosed by an iron fence; & at Lyemun Redoubt for instance, which is enclosed by a ditch, the ditch has only just been far completed to form a barrier. Under these circumstances a great many men would have been required to guard the Works at first; as they approach completion, when precautions become necessary, fewer men of course are needed as there are fewer open points of access. Suffice it...
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286 Memo. for H.S. The Major Gent Com! :- Unauthorized persons have at times been seen on & about the Works; as soon as observed they have been ordered off in accord - ance with instructions issued by my predecessor, Colonel Walker. A good many of the works can be looked into from higher pouned at a moderate distance, & à ferson provided with a telescope could see in this way a peat deal of what was going the At the same time persons possessed of recessary knowledge & skill could certainly obtain much valuable informs - tion from a close Inspection which they could not obtain to well from an outside view, + this would be expecially the case as the works draw towards completion & the arrangements for Mounting & serving the juns & their limits of range, on, can be seen. For the most fart, however, the works here are only now upfroaching the state in which information J every could be acquired. Lyemun is the only instance in which Works of first importan tance have until how reached that stage & there has been much value to an a a guard there for some time. A much more serious source of here is in my opinion the selling of danger information by the Chinese Contractors & Artisans whom we are forced & employ to carry out We have & entrust these the work. as men with almost every particular to the work the clone; they are quite clever enousin to five tolerably full information to the lefects of Ireign Lovers, & many of them would assuredly do to could make tiny considerable profit if they by it. We have certainly not hitherto fossessed the necessary means.for effectually excleiding strangers from The Works; our N.C.0.0 & men employed on their do to as far as they can, but they are not there out of working hour how on Sundays.. Many of the Works "are of in Batteries, of which some are eventually the enclosed by an iron fence; & at Lyeman Redoubt for mistance, which is enclosed by a ditch, the ditch has only just been to far com- pleted 2 form a barrier. Under these circumstances a peat many reen would have been required fuard the Works at first; as they affrouch completion, when precautions become recessary, fewer men of course. fewer open points of access. hine Suffice as as there are 4 Me
2026-05-25 15:18:08 · Baseline
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286

Memo. for H.S. The Major Gent Com! :-

Unauthorized persons have at times been seen on & about the Works; as soon as

observed they have been ordered off in accord - ance with instructions issued by my predecessor, Colonel Walker.

A good many of

the works can be

looked into from higher pouned at a moderate distance, & à

ferson provided

with a telescope could see in this way a peat deal of what was going

the

At the same time persons possessed of recessary

knowledge & skill could certainly obtain much valuable informs - tion from a close Inspection which they could not obtain to well from an outside view, + this would be expecially the case as the works draw towards completion & the arrangements for Mounting & serving the juns & their limits of range, on, can be seen. For the most fart, however, the works here are only now upfroaching the state in which information J every

could be

acquired. Lyemun is the only instance in which Works of first importan

tance have until how reached that stage & there has been

much value to an

a

a guard

there for some time. A much more serious source of here is in my opinion the selling of danger information

by the Chinese Contractors & Artisans whom we are forced & employ to carry out We have & entrust these

the work.

as

men with almost every particular to the work the clone; they are quite clever enousin to

five tolerably full information to the lefects of Ireign Lovers, & many of them would assuredly do to could make tiny considerable profit if they by it.

We have certainly not hitherto fossessed the necessary means.for effectually excleiding strangers from The Works; our N.C.0.0 & men employed on their do to as far as they can, but they are not there out of working hour how on Sundays.. Many of the Works "are of in Batteries, of which some are eventually the enclosed by an iron fence; & at Lyeman Redoubt for mistance, which is enclosed by a ditch, the ditch has only just been to far com- pleted 2 form a barrier. Under these circumstances a peat many reen would have been required fuard the Works at first; as they affrouch completion, when precautions become

recessary, fewer men of course.

fewer open points of access.

hine

Suffice

as

as there are

4

Me

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