CO129-293 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [8-9] — Page 455

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REG2 21 OCT 19

The General Officer Commanding

in China and HongKong.

His Excellency The Governor of

Sir,

HongKong.

HongKong, 20th. September, 1899.

If

I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that I

have this morning received through the Officer Commanding the

HongKong Volunteer Corps a guaranteed offer as follows:-

Two Officers and about 50 men of the Regiment with

4 Maxims to volunteer their services to proceed to South Africa

for as long as they might be required.

Transport to and fro to be furnished by Government;

and all ranks to be paid by Government at the ordinary pay of

their rank, as in the regular army.

Clothing and equipment, as far as is possible, to be

furnished by the men themselves.

I think that Your Excellency will agree that this is

a most generous, loyal and patriotic offer, and as such I trust

that you may see your way to cable the offer to the Secretary

of State for the Colonies.

I may add that I heard indirectly of this offer some

days ago, but declined to entertain it until everything had

been

R.Z.I