CO129-397 - Public Offices & Others - 1912 — Page 164

1

83/4723.

(M.0.3).

sir.

CONFIDENTI

0.0.

36865

RECO

REGE 21 NOV 12

163

21

November, 1912.

I mm commanded by the Army Council to address you again on the subject of the temporary additions which were made last year to the Garrisons in North and South China.

2. As regards North China, Foreign Office letter 41540/11 dated the 23rd October, 1911, requested that the

1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliere might remain in Tientsin for a week or 10 days after the arrival of the 2nd Battalion Somerset Light Infantry to relieve it, instead of embarking at once for India.

Foreign Office letter 43117/11 dated the 2nd Navember, 1911, declared the impossibility of saying for hor long the detention of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in North Chins might be necessary. Later on, in reply to War office letters, 083/4642 (1.0.3) dated the 8th June, 1913, 4 27th June, 1912 and 8th July, 1912, the Foreign Office (letter 28411/12 dated the 9th July, 1912) expressed their inability to consent to the withdrawal of the second Britim Infantry battalion which had formed part of the North China

garrison since the arrival of the 2nd Battalion Somerset

Light Infantry in üctober, 1911. The War office thereupor

notified to the Foreign Office their decision (in letter

083/4642

fatary of State,

office.