CO129-336 - Governor Nathan & Public Offices - 1906 [11-12] — Page 697

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Any further communication on this subject should be addressed to---

Under Secretary of State,

War Office,

Loudon, S.W.,

and the following number quoted.

266/915 (M.0.1).

Sir,

SECRET.

War Office,

689

London, S.W.

17th July, 1906.

1/109

Mached

General

With reference to my letter, No. 083/4170 (M.0.1),

dated 17th January 1906, on the subject of the garrison of Hong

Kong, and my letter No. 266/915 (M.0.1), dated 14th June 1906,

conveying the concurrence of the Army Council in the Colonial

Defence Committee's Memorandum, No. 364 M., I am commanded by

the Council to acquaint you, for the information of the Secret-

ary of State for the Colonies, that they find themselves unable

to restore to Hong Kong the full battalion of British infantry

which forms part of its approved garrison, without serious incon-

venience. The Council hope that Lord Elgin will assent to the

continuance for the present of the arrangement under which half

of the British battalion at Hong Kong is detached to North China.

I am instructed to say that the Council appreciate the

necessity of maintaining the garrison of this important naval

station and commercial port at its full strength under ordinary

circumstances, but it appears to them that, taking into consider-

ation the existing conditions in the Far East, a temporary re-

duction is justifiable.

wit

The Under Secretary of State,

COLONIAL

OFFICE.

I have the honor to be,

sir,

Your obedient servant,

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