CO129-303 - Public Offices & Others - 1900 — Page 328

Appendin I.

324

Ken

from the Hong Kong Branch if the he

Extract from/latter/dated 31st March 1900,

"The object of this prosent letter is to inform you,

to the best of my ability, though, of course, our

military authorities will not supply any information

upon the subject and you must not therefore rely

upon my information as being absolutely accurate,

of the deficiencies which exist, to the best of our

belief, in the artillery employed for the defence of

this Colony.

We believe that the following muzzle

loading guns are employed for the defence of this

Colony in important forts, in addition to file main

ordnance which is B.L,, namely,

(a). At Kowloon West Fort three 10 inch M.L.

(b) At Kowloon Dock three 9 inch M.L.

(c)

At North Point two disto

(d)

At Lyecmoon four ditto

Also, 6 or 8 64-pounder M.1.

We do not ignore the fact that talk is

going on about replacing the above guns with modern

breech loading weapons, but unless some sour can be applied to the War Office, probably some years will

elapse, judging by previous experience, before the

desired change is effected.

For instance, two 64 pounders on Stone Cutter Island were dismounted two years ago, with the intention of putting two 4'7 inch B.L. guns in their place, but the 4'7 guns have not been mounts to this

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