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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND him, but I hope he will forgive me when I say that he should read up geography and geology a little before writing again. My purpose,
Observer however, is not to find fault with but correct some wrong impressions which he has, and others may have, formed as to what I suggested.
I certainly did not mean to suggest that artesian wells should be sunk on the hills, least of all on the south side of the island, where they would be in the bands of an enemy who had secured a footing preparatory to capturing or invading the northern shore and harbour.
What I proposed was to sink the wells on the north shore (say in Happy Valley and other valleys) and on the Kowloon side, where they would be safe from an enemy who had captured or destroyed the reservoirs.
Now, sir, by your leave, I shall take the liberty of stating what I think should be done to render this island practically im- pregnable, healthier for every resident, and at the same time provide an abundant water supply. To do this, the Government, Military Authorities, Public Works Department, and Afforestation Department must each do its part, at the same time working together in unison for the general weal. The Government must annex all the surrounding islands and also a slice of the mainland from Macao (including the island of Lappa) in a direct line to Shang- hai. The Military Authorities must then erect suitable garrison forts on these islands and upon the mainland from Macao to Shanghai inland and also on the coast at suitable points. They must also build a double military rail- road, to be connected in Hongkong with the barracks and military and naval stores, from thence running through the Wongueichong Valley and Gap to Deep Water Bay and Stanley, having a branch line from Deep Water Bay to Aberdeen; then make a double heavy tramway from Taikoo to Aberdeen round the west end of the island, but not at the water's edge; it must go in at the back of the slaughter houses, close by the Chinese Protestant cemetery, on by the Daily Farm to No 10 Bridge, from thence round the hill to Aberdeen. Then they must erect a fort at Chungchow and Cape DAguilar, making a miniature Gibraltar of mount Ma-nin-how, which has a fine, prominent, and central posi- tion on the south side of the island. The Afforestation Department must send a gang of coolies all over the island to burn all rotting vegetable matter so soon as it is sufficiently dry, and before the next rainy season sets in; this would be one step in the right direction for the health of the island. The Publicing brackish. Works Department's share now remains to be dealt with. We want more water and a healthier state of things all round. Very well, then; to get a good supply of water must have another reservoir, and on a very large scale, and I do not know of any better place than the Wang-chuck-hang Valley, which reaches from Aberdeen to the golf links in Deep Water Bay, or about four miles long by two miles broad at its widest part, narrowing down to 400 yards at its narrowest part. This swamp is very unhealthy in summer and I believe "re- sponsible for half the sickness in the colony. This swamp
is also entirely surrounded by hills, with the exception of the part 400 yards wide,
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where a dam could be built across for a mere trifle, and so we would get a good water supply for all purposes (other than potable) and eradicate a dangerous nuisance at the same time. It would be of infinitely more use to the colony than the land would if it was filled in with earth, and the cost would be small in comparison, as the stone, the principal thing, is near to the place in abundance, and the any amount of sand within easy reach; only things to be paid for would be labour and cement.
All these things I have narrated would cost a lot of money I know, but if the thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well. If the home Government is willing to spend £14,000,000 sterling on Malta and Gibraltar within the next two years, I think Hongkong has a right to at least half that sum, which would do the whole thing. I do not claim to be right on these several subjects I have touched upon in this letter, but give them for what they are worth, to form a small matter for discussion, then correspondence, which might eventually lead to an agitation. At the same time I maintain that if they were carried out in part, or the whole, no enemy's ships would get within shot range of the island, much less to put one into our drinking water, or to land men to cut it off for their own use, and, least of all, to blockade the harbour.—I remain, dear sir, yours very faithfully,
OBSERVER.
Hongkong, 25th March, 1896.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRE88."
Observer's DEAR SIR,—I have just read letter on colonial defence and the water supply. Ag "Observer is evidently a well meaning man I will not take his letter and analyse it by bits, for I am afraid that would be too hard on
[April 1, 1896.
undertaken at once; the portion along the Prays to connect the two ends could be con- structed when the road is ready for it, but the rest of it should not be delayed till then. The present agitation for increased house accom- modation and the prevention of overcrowding points strongly to the great urgency of it to open up building sites, even did the present political uncertainty and danger of a war not call for it for defence purposes.
Apologising for making another demand on your space. I am, dear sir, yours truly.
OLD NAVAL RESERVE MAN. Hongkong, 29th March, 1896.
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DAILY PRESS."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIB, I read with considerable interest Mr. Chater's letters, as also your leader, of the 27th and 28th inst. relating to the above subject. I should be much obliged by your allowing me to make a few additions and suggestions.
Artesian wells sunk in any part of the world usually have to be driven through rocks soon after getting a hundred or more feet below the surface, and are often continued through
First. The barracks for the British infantry several water bearing strata before tapping the
are badly placed, first, because they are too near one desirable. This might be necessary in
the native. town, with all its temptations of Hongkong, but I conclude from the formation
questionable houses of amusements, whereby of the surrounding hills that a well ought the British soldier, "not being a plastor saint," not to require driving more than two or suffers morally and physically. Second, in time three hundred feet before striking a good of trouble the infantry would have to hold the
and the water-bearing formation,
water heights. For the men this would mean camp- trickling down the hills on the island and ing out in wet and unhealthy weather, badly those on the mainland, even in the driest cooked food, and heavy work in transporting seasons, gives evidence that the necessary pres-provisions, stores, and ammunition. Now, Mr. sure is there to bring the water to the surface. Editor, if the British infantry had barracks on I should say that a well sunk near the middle the heights in some good central position, it of the Kowloon peninsula would be a good spot would reduce hospital expenses, for the men for the first, but one in each valley on the
would be healthier, so more could be placed in north side of the island of Hongkong would be
the fighting line at such points as their services desirable for the purpose of a convenient sup- might be required. The site for the barracks ply to the town. There is not much fear of would have to be carefully chosen, and would water from the depth of 100 or 200 feet prov- no doubt entail a good deal of building up, fill. ing in, and levelling down. The sale of the present barracks along with the sale or lease of the ground would go a considerable distance towards paying for the new barracks.
While writing about the water supply in connection with the defence of Hongkong I should like to emphasise the need for more torpedo boats. The waters surrounding the colony are eminently suited to the manoeuvres of this class of craft and I should be sorry indeed for any hostile fleet, however strong. attempting to capture Hongkong as long as there was a fairly numerous fleet of good torpedo boats in the harbour to assist in the defence, even if there were no English fleet within a thou- sand miles of the colony to co-operate with them. Night after night these little terrors would issue forth and, kept posted as to the where- abouts of the enemy's ships by look-out stations on the hills, they would never fail to destroy one or more of the beseiging vessels, if not com- pletely annihilating the whole of them. The only safety for the enemy would be to go to sea every afternoon, and even then they would still be in danger from their minute assailants, who would dodge in and out amongst the islands. seeking shelter and attacking by turns and re- turning with morning to the harbour to coal and take rest, leaving one
B of their number to keep the enemy on the move and thus force him to use up his supply of coal. Mirs Bay, Deep Bay, or any other place in the neighbourhood would be untenable by the enemy as long as this scourge threatened them, and the open sea would be their only hope, perhaps, during the summer months, to face a typhoon, or, during the winter months, a howling northerly gale or meet with fog and get separated or stranded. To anchor anywhere, even with fires kept banked, would, for the enemy, mean disaster. "I leave your readers to imagine the feeling and condition of troops cooped up in transports under these circumstances, knowing that their vessel might be torpedoed at any moment. Enough, however. The reader may picture the close of such an attempt to invade Hongkong, with forts well manned and a well handled torpedo fleet in the harbour.
or
more
This, nevertheless, will not prevent the enemy destroying your reservoirs. by proxy, for any intelligent foreigner or Chinaman would have no difficulty in doing that undetected and pro- bably would be well paid for the job. Artesian wells, on the other hand, are practically inde- structible
You have, Mr. Editor, dealt so well with the necessity for tramways and hill roads that I need say no more on these points than that I am of opinion that the tramway should be
Second. In the matter of communications, as pointed out by you in your leader, a great deal might be done by the colony in improving the roads. At present the gradient is in many cases too steep. Good roads would in time repay their cost, for they would open out new building sites, thus increasing not only the revenue of the colony, but its health also.
These
Third. I cannot help thinking that a great mistake has been made as regards the composi tion of the Hongkong Regiment. As purely infantry no one can find fault with it, but, for the needs of the colony, it would have been better if the men composing it had been re- cruited from the same class as the men of the 23rd and 32nd Punjaub Pioneers. Muzbees are not only good fighters, but are remarkably useful in times of peace. It is they that make the military roads on our Indian frontier. If the Hongkong Regiment was a pioneer regiment, the men could be employed in building the forts and Not only making the roads for the colony. would expense be saved, but the colony would not need the presence of a horde of filthy Chinese coolies, that bring dirt and disease in their train. The men of the regiment haying con- stant employment would be found to be almost free from crime of any sort. The tactics for the defence of the colony do not require much battalion work, for it would be mostly carried out by small detachments. This would exactly suit a pioneer regiment, for too much time need not be spent on battalion drill. It would be an easy matter to change by degrees the composi- tion of the regiment, Muzbees being enlisted as the men serving at present obtain their dis- charge.
Fourth.-Considerable alterations might be Granted that made in the Police force. the Police force has been put on á satis- factory base, there can be no necessity
go the colony to for
to the expense of paying the passage out from home for re- crnits. The garrison could and should supply a steady stream of men of good character who would be only too willing to join the force. Volunteering for this purpose should be open to both the British and Indian troops in gar- rison here. The only use for the Chinese in the force is for detective duties. As patrols they are useless; they will never singly tackle a drunken European sailor, and have too much
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