CO129-303 - Public Offices & Others - 1900 — Page 402

„Del 3*ši tono?NO

?ude agod #63 31

koleno mi? my base at memo i 15000 ANNE

·Hong-Ko

14.Sept.1900.

REG2 22 OUT OC

I have to thank you for your letter of the 7th

397

the steps which your Committee have been taking

lews

ews before the British Public.

As I am going off to Japan to-morrow for a month's

holiday, I am writing just a few lines to point out certain facts

for the consideration of your Committee.

In the first place, I would point out that Germany

has four powerful battleships our here, and that, therefore, if

such a thing were to take place as Germany joining with France

and Russia to put pressure upon us locally, we should be hopelessly

outmatched.

In my letter of the 30th March 1900 I dealt with the

question of comparative strength out here, and this new and

formidable accession to the German fleet out here only adds a

fresh element of disturbance and uncertainty.

Another matter which I wish to point out is that our

Volunteers have now received four fresh guns of the same old

pattern as before (1.e. obsolete and muzzle-loading) to replace

four guns which our Regular Troops took up North. We hope that

you will see your way to make a vigorous protest against this

important outpost of the Empire being made a dumping-ground for

out of date weapons;

and you may also think it worth while to

rub in the fact that the four guns taken up North were not only

hopelessly inferior in calibre to the Chinese guns (which latter

were breech loaders), but that those guns of ours were actually found to be dangerous,

fire by

reason of using black powder ammunition, which was the only kind

available for them.

because they drew the enemy's

I am,

dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

H.E.POLLOCK.

Hon.Secretary Hong Kong B: