CAB11-57-10 — Page 10

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CHAPTER I.

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Married

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Island. This channel is used mainly by junks and river steamers passing between Hong Kong and Canton or Macao.

Inside the Kellett Bank these two channels unite with a minimum width of 3,500 yards between South-East Stonecutters and Belcher Point, and this is the selected line of defence for this entrance.

The channel north of Stonecutters is 1,200 yards wide, and is used mainly for access to the Cosmopolitan Docks and the Oil Works at Tai-Kok-Tsui. It is accessible from Chin-Wan Bay for boats passing north of Chung-Hue, and this constitutes the best protected, and in spite of some difficulties of navigation, the most probable line of approach for torpedo craft attempting to rush the harbour.

The depth of water is 10 fathoms in the Sulphur Channel, 3 fathoms over the Kellet Bank, and 4 fathoms north of Stonecutters. These depths are, however, reduced further in to 41 fathoms off Belcher Point, and 2 fathoms between Stone- cutters and the Kowloon Peninsula. The approaches to this side of the harbour from the north-west are, from the Canton River by the Cap-Si-Mun Pass and the south of Chung-Hue, or by Chin-Wan Bay south of Chung-Hue. Neither route is lighted by night except by the one light on Green Island, and the north channel is somewhat dangerous from sunken rocks. The approaches from the south are from the lighthouse at Gap Rock (30 miles away) to Lamma Island, the direct route being to the west of the island; but the channel here is difficult for larger vessels. By going east of Lamma Island ample water is obtained, but this channel is only lit from Green Island.

On the whole the western entrances are less easy of access, and have less depth of water than the eastern side.

These conditions are, however, not unfavourable to an attack by torpedo craft and small cruisers, while the great width between Belcher and Stonecutters makes the defence of this entrance at night very difficult, so that this is probably the weakest part of the whole defence from a purely naval attack.

Proposals have been considered from time to time for reducing the width to be defended by a boom, but have been rejected mainly on account of the difficulty of main- taining and defending such an obstruction over such a wide entrance.

19. It is, however, worth noting that, in the event of a naval reverse leaving Hong Kong open to a more serious attack than is contemplated in this Defence Scheme, an inner line of defence could be formed by a boom from Kowloon Point to the west side of the Naval Dockyard. This would leave the greater part of the commercial harbour between the outer and inner defences, but would give additional protection to most naval and military establishments.

20. The gun defences of the western entrance are on the Island of Hong Kong, at or near Belcher group of batteries, and on the Island of Stonecutters. There are no defences on Green Island or on the mainland north of Stonecutters.

At Belcher the main gun defence is in Fly Point, Upper Belcher and Lower There is an Belcher batteries, with a new battery under construction at Pinewood. anti-torpedo boat battery at Elliot Battery, and three electric lights.

At Stonecutters the main gun defence is in the West, Central, and East batteries, all firing more or less to south and north of the island, and an anti-torpedo boat battery at south shore.

There is no anti-torpedo boat battery on the north shore, but two guns of the movable armament are allotted to this side. There is one electric light on the south side, one on the north side, and one on the west, serving both entrances.

Arrangements are made for a mine-field between Belcher and Stonecutters, and for another north of Stonecutters, each with a friendly channel; but these mines would not be laid until some emergency arose, not in any case without naval authority.

Entrance between Stonecutters and Green Island would be prohibited in time of war, but examination services are provided for Sulphur Channel, and north of Stone-

cutters.

To meet the case of an enemy running through the outer defences, there are batteries at Kowloon East and North Point, on the east side of the harbour, and at Kowloon West and Victoria Battery, on the west side, covering between them all the inner waters.

21. A mimic mountain range, with peaks rising from 1,400 to 1,800 feet, follows the western, northern, and eastern shores, while spurs and steep outlying hills break up the whole surface south of the main ridge.

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