CO129-569-4 Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps 29-8-1938 - 21-12-1938 — Page 18

M.02700/38

sir,

18

CONFIDENTIAL

15th September

8.

I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of

the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the

Lords Commissioners of H.M.Treasury, that the annual

reports on the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force for

1936-7 and 1937-38, emphasised the fact that the training

of the force is handicapped by the lack of a small sea-

going vessel. In view of the importance of the force

for naval purposes in war, the Commander-in-Chief, China,

suggested that one of the Royal Naval Motor Torpedo

Boats shortly to be stationed at Hong Kong should be lent

to the Volunteer Force for training, but My Lords first

directed the Commander-in-Chief to suggest to the Governor

that the Colony should provide a suitable vessel for

training purposes as a charge to local funds.

2. The Commander-in-Chief has now reported

that financial considerations preclude the Hong Kong

Government from building or purchasing a vessel, and he

has proposed that an Admiralty trawler or other suitable

craft should be lent to the Colony for training.

3. The Admiralty have no trawler or other

suitable vessel surplus to requirements which could be

lent permanently to the Colony and My Lords have, therefore,

given consideration to the possibility of placing at the

disposal of the Naval Volunteer Force at suitable times

one of the three boom vessels which will shortly be

stationed at Hong Kong.

These vessels will be maintained

The Secretary,

H. M. Treasury,

9. W. 1.

DT/

in