CO129-418 - Public Offices & Others - 1914 — Page 61

58

1

command in case of emergencies elsewhere, having regard to

the political situation then existing. As the relations

of His Majesty's Government with Foreign Powers in the Far

East have undergone no alteration it would still be possible

to detach the force named temporarily from the Hong Kong

garrison in case of emergency, and, although the Council

do not in any way wish to question the correctness of Sir

J.Jordan's views, I am again to urge, in view of the

General Officer Commanding's statement and the facilities

for easy reinforcement from India, that the reductions in

the Hong Kong garrison can be carried out as arranged with-

out endangering the safety of British interests in South

China,

With reference to the last paragraph of your

letter under reply, I am to state that the Army Council will arrange to leave such transport with the garrison in Sorth China as will, in their opinion, be sufficient to enable the troops to carry out the duties which they may be called upon to perform. In this connection I am to point out that it would be unsound from a military point of view to send small detachments to isolated stations in North China at a distance from the Peking-Shan-hai-kuan railway or the Yang-tze river, and that British communities at such places should be informed that in the event of there being a likelihood of an outbreak of anti-foreign feeling on the part of the Chinese they should make their way to the nearest post held by foreign troops, and that if they elect to remain at their stations they do so at

their own risk.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(sd.) B.B.Cubitt.