The Committee are of opinion, however, that before authority could be given to the Governor of Hong Kong to proceed with the necessary purchase, certain aspects of the proposal require further investigation.
7. In the first place, the Committee, whilst holding the view that the mere purchase of the site in question cannot be held to constitute an infringement of Article 19 of the Washington Treaty, nevertheless feel that a definite expression of opinion should be obtained from the Foreign Office with regard to the legality of the proposal. They accordingly recommend that the Colonial Office should consult the Foreign Office whether exception could be taken to the acquisition of the area in question under Article 19 of the Washington Treaty.
8. Secondly, the Committee observe that the Governor's proposal, that the necessary funds for the purchase of the site should be obtained by means of a loan to be raised locally, was made in February 1926, at a time when it was hoped that the boycott at Canton would not be of long duration. It has been pointed out to the Committee that the prolonged deadlock must necessarily have a serious effect on the financial position of Hong Kong, and accordingly they recommend that the Colonial Office should obtain further information from the Governor with regard to the financial aspects of the scheme.
9. The Committee desire to call attention to the fact that, under the existing laws of the Colony, it is possible to acquire the site in question by compulsion at any time. They recognise, however, that the present time appears to be favourable for purchase, and delay in acquisition now might result in heavier expenditure at a later date.
10. Finally, the Committee submit the following Summary of their conclusions for consideration by the Committee of Imperial Defence :—
(i.) That, from the defence point of view, the acquisition of the Kai Tak reclamation area is desirable, and accordingly recommend! that approval in principle should be given to the proposals on that subject made by the Governor of Hong Kong in his despatch. dated the 18th February, 1926, which were recommended in the Interim Report by the Joint Staffs (Appendix I), and to which commendation was given by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee at their 36th Meeting. (ii) That, owing to the continuance of the boycott at Canton and its resultant effect on the financial position of Hong Kong, conditions may have changed since the above-mentioned proposals were put forward, and accordingly recommend that the Colonial Office be requested to obtain further information from the Governor with regard to the financial aspects of the scheme.
(iii) That the Colonial Office be requested to consult the Foreign Office whether exception could be taken to the purchase of the area in question under Article 19 of the Washington Treaty.
(iv.) That the formation of a local police air unit, being less urgent, should be postponed for further investigation by the Sub-Committee on the composition and organisation of local forces when that body deals with the local forces of Hong Kong.
(Signed)
2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W. 1,
August 1926.
L. A. CLEMENS, Secretary,
Oversea Defence Committee.
C.O.S. 44.
1.
3
APPENDIX I.
Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee.
HONG KONG-DEFENCE OF.
Interim Report by the Joint Staffs Sub-Committee.
The Joint Staffs Sub-Committee on the Defence of Hong Kong has taken note of the conclusion reached by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee at their 32nd Meeting, held on the 3rd June, 1926, when it was agreed-
To
approve in principle the proposal of the Chief of the Air Staff to take such preliminary steps as may be necessary to acquire ground for an aerodrome at Hong Kong.
The Sub-Committee has further taken note of Colonial Office letter No. C. 7237/26, dated the 15th May, 1926, forwarding despatches by the Governor of Hong Kong, and suggesting that the points raised should be examined, in the first place, by the Joint Staffs Sub-Committee.
2. The proposals put forward were that
3.
(a.) The Kai Tak reclamation area should be acquired as an aerodrome
site.
(b.) A small local unit for police work should be formed.
As regards (), a decision as to whether it is possible and desirable to station regular air forces at Hong Kong in peace time depends on a number of factors which have not yet been fully investigated. In certain eventualities, however, such as might occur during trouble in Canton, the despatch of air forces to Hong Kong, perhaps only as a temporary measure, might be desirable.
To provide for such a contingency, it is essential that an aerodrome, with facilities for seaplanes as well as for landplanes, should be available. The Kai Tak reclamation area on the Kowloon peninsula is not only the best site, but practically the only suitable site, and if it were built over, the potential use of aircraft for defence in the future would be seriously restricted. In addition, the present time appears to be favourable for purchase, and delay in acquisition now might result in heavier expenditure at a later date.
There appears to be no possible reason from the Treaty aspect against the acquisition of this aerodrome site. A levelled area of ground cannot be interpreted as an increase in coast defences. It is only when buildings are erected and aircraft actually located on the aerodrome that the question of legality appears to arise.
The Sub-Committee is therefore of the opinion that the Kai Tak site should be acquired at an early date, and recommends that the Governor of Hong Kong should be given authority to proceed with the necessary purchase.
4. With regard to (b), ie., the formation of a local police air unit at Hong Kong, it is considered that the proposals put forward will require considerable investigation, and that the question could more appropriately be dealt with by the Local Forces Sub-Committee of the Oversea Defence Committee.
There does not appear to be any particular urgency for the formation of this unit, and the Sub-Committee therefore recommends that the Governor be informed that the matter is being further investigated.
Conclusion.
5. The Sub-Committee recommends :-
(a.) That the Kai Tak reclamation area should be acquired without delay. (b) That the formation of a local police air unit, being less urgent,
should be referred for further investigation.
(Signed)
(Signed)
(Signed)
$14922
W. G. S. DOBBIE, Colonel. G.S. (Chairman). Directorate of Military Operations and Intelligence, War Office.
WILFRED A. EGERTON, Captain, R.N.,
Plans Division. Admiralty.
B. E. SMYTHIES. Wing-Commander, R.A.F., Directorate of Operations and Intelli- gence, Air Ministry.
B 2
395
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