CO129-464 - Public Offices - 1920 — Page 22

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WISE.

برای البرز

Admiralty letter 15. 0905 of 3rd April 1912.

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CONFI DEMUTIAL.

No. 77/681/910.

8th February, 1920.

CHINA GENERAL LENTUR NO. 184.

The Secretary of the

Admiralty.

REPORT OR SURMISSION.

HONG KONG.

5th February 1920.

In contimation of China General Letter No. 183, dated 6th January, 1920, be pleased to inform their Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of the movements of vessels and proseedings on the China Station.

2.

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"HAWKINS" left Singapore on 2nd January and arrived at Penang the following day. Penang was included in the programme of the cruise in order that I might visit the Officer Administrating the Government who was in residence there.

3.- The Japanese peaceful penetration in the Straits Settlements is, I think, acting as a tome in quickening interest in Defense matters. A Bill providing for the compulsory military training of civilians is now being considered by the Legislative Council.

4.- "HAWKINS" sailed for Batavia on Wednesday, January 7th, calling at Singapore en route to complete with oil fuel, and arrived on January 10th. The ship was moored in Tanjong Priok between two buoys, not a very comfortable berth on account of the buoys not being laid with any regard to the direction of the Monsoon.

I was told that the harbour is to be considerably enlarged in the near future.

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5.- It is some years since a British Warship last visited Batavia and it was very evident that at visit was much appreciated by the British Colony, and if one can Judge by outward appearance, by the Dutch also. The Governor General was in residence at the Palace, Buitenzorg, about 30 miles from Batavia, and invited me to pay him a visit there. I stayed one night and w&B given a very corvial and friendly resepti oň. He is obsessed by two anxieties to which he several times referred, namely, the certainty, in his opinion, of a war in the Far East within the next ten years, and the fear of Bolshevism taking root in the Netherlands East Indies.

With regard to the former, the Naval Defence

of the