CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 308

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when the Committee agreed:-

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(b) That as recommended in the above-mentioned

Report, no formal protest should be addressed to the Japanese Goverment unless at any future date it becomes evident that the air station at Formosa is being expanded to a military air base

(c) That the Staffa of the Services should carefully watch the situation, both in regard to the Japanese Air Base at Formosa and to developments in China, in order

that the question may receive further

consideration should circumstances warrant Buch a course.

體

At the same meeting the Committee of Imperial

Defence had under consideration another report by the

Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee (C.I.D.Paper No. 617-B), which had been prepared in accordance with a conclusion reached at the 200th Meeting of the 0.1.D., to the effect that the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee should be requested to examine the possibility of despatching reinforcements to Chins should the necessity arise. The summary of conclusions and recommendations contained

in the report are as follows:-

(a) The military significance of the present

unrest in China lies rather in the promise it gives of further and more serious disturbances in the future than in any present danger.

(b) In the event of threats to or attacks on the Legation or other British interests in Pekin or Tientsin, no British military force other than the one battalion at Tientsin is available. The first reinforcement which could arrive would be one brigade from India; this could reach Taku in about five weeks from the date of the order to mobilize. During this period of five weeks reliance would have to be placed on international action.

(0) British interests in the Treaty ports are

already receiving such protection as is possible from the naval forces in the Far East, and no protection can be provided other than by the naval forces, which we recommend should be increased.

(ā)....

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