CO129-498-13 Recommendations to strengthen defences against overseas attack- practicability of Air Ministry proposals and estimate of... 18-2-1926 - 18-2-1926 — Page 4

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aspect of the question.

3.

42 Le

The first experience of the Colony in aviation for Defence purposes has been provided during the last six months by the presence of HM.S. Hermes with a flight of seaplanes: and the experience has been important as foreshadowing the value of Police aviation in a Colony where natural obstacles to rapid communication are unusually serious. For purposes of defence the Air Patrol of the Frontier maintained by the seaplanes of H.M.S.Hermes has been of great value as a deterrent to the operations of strike pickets which I have described in my despatch No. 72 of 18th February and has demonstrated the

6565 (In) necessity of providing an Air Force Arm for any

closure No.1.

complete scheme of defence that may be devised.

4.

In this connection, I request your attention to the article extracted from the Hongkong Daily Press of February 9th,1926, which forms the first enclosure to this despatch. The development of aviation in Canton in an organised manner has been under consideration for a long time past: and the rapid march of events in the Province (especially in military matters) augurs the early establishment of such an arm. Aeroplanes have already been used in the recent fighting in Kuang-tung, and, though they are probably, as yet, of little material value, their development may be expected. In any case the fact that they could, even now, fly over the Colony of Hongkong with complete impunity, must be a source of anxiety.

H.M.S.Hermes utilised seaplanes only: but the Naval Authorities found it necessary to provide some accommodation ashore for her land machines, and this was found on the West portion

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of