CO129-575-10 Military contribution 3-1-1939 - 13-12-1939 — Page 37

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SECRET(2).

ALCEIVED

141939

0..0. REQI

Government House,

Hong Kong.

Sir,

4th July, 1939.

36

I have the honour to inform you that

consideration was given in connection with the estimates

for 1939 to making provision for the purchase of two

armoured cars in replacement of two such cars now

possessed by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps.

was, however, ultimately decided to defer this

expenditure for one year,

2.

*

It

Major-General A.W. Bartholomew, then General

Officer Commanding the British Troops in China,

supported the application for new armoured cars on the

grounds that the age and unreliability of the existing

cars made them unsuitable for the part they are required

to play in the defence of the Colony, and that a amall

armoured car unit was necessary to that defence against

attack from without, as well as for internal security.

Major-General A.E. Grasett has recently pressed for

reconsideration of the subject on similar grounds, with

a view to these vehicles being provided at once and I

feel that I should accede to his request.

3.

The cost is estimated at $12,000 each, on the

assumption that Bedford Chassis will be purchased from

the United Kingdom at a cost of $4,500 each, and that

the armoured bodies will be constructed in the Colony

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&c. 1

&c.1