CO129-388 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1912 [1-2] — Page 74

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to

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From:-

The General officer Commanding,

South China Command.

To:-

The Secretary,

War Office, London,

S.W.

Headquarters. HONGKONG. 6th, January, 1912.

sir,

The existing state of affairs in South China and the possible future developments, should the forces of disorder set in motion by the revolution get beyond the control of the present makeshifts for government in China, appear to me to render it desirable that there should be some authoritative statement as to what is implied in the title "General Officer Commanding, South China Command". The case of troops while stationed in the Island of Hongkong and the New Territories is provided for by paras. 37 and 41 of the King's Regulations which lay down that the Governor of the Colony is titular Commander-in-Chief thereof, and that no troops should be moved from the Colony without his being consulted.

The question of re-inforcement of one Colony

by troops from another, in cases where both Colonies

are in the same Military Command, is dealt with in para. 42 King's Regulations but no account is taken of such

cases aa exist in China where British Settlements and

Concessions, under the control of Consuls General, exist

in various places and may require protection on land

for longer periods than can be arranged for by landing

parties from His Majesty's ships.