CAB11-57-11 — Page 11

Page 11

5

CHAPTER I.

20. 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.

Eight gaps offer convenient passage across this ridge, which, in several instances,

is affected by good roads. Beginning from the west they are:---

Mount Davis Gap, the only one crossed by a carriage road, 385 feet above

sea level.

Victoria Gap, 1,250 feet.

Magazine Gap, 787 feet.

Wanchai Gap, 700 feet.

Middle Gap, 900 feet (a steep and difficult track leads over this pass). Wong-Nei-Cheong Gap, 687 feet.

Quarry Bay Gap, 980 feet.

Sai-Ki-Wan Gap, 600 feet.

21. From this broken and rugged surface arises the difficulty for the defence, that there is no point on the island which commands an extended view of the southern shore and the approaches therefrom; in fact, the mountain glens are concealed from view by the neighbouring ridges, and there are few spots in the island from which the eye can detect at one time movements in two neighbouring glens. This consideration, the smallness of the garrison in proportion to the extent of coast line, and the numerous possible landing places, lead to the conclusion that it is better to hold the garrison in as central a position as possible rather than to break it up into small weak parties, watching every possible landing place; but the necessity of guarding the dam at the Tytam Reservoir compels the garrison to throw a strong detachment in advance of the main position, for which Violet Hill affords an excellent position.

22. Fogs shroud the higher peaks for more than fifty days in the year, and the elevations above 1,000 feet for about thirty days in the year. The lower one descends the less the frequency of fog; but sometimes a fog so dense exists down to the level of the water that the local pilots run their craft ashore in the daytime. This is, however, a very rare occurrence. It is not thought, however, that its influence would be wholly against the defence in fogs, as at night, men who know the ground will be less hampered by the dim light than strangers; and in no case can the fog be put forward as a reason for frittering the defence into patches and groups, but rather serves as an argument for keeping companies as intact as possible. If fogs envelop the positions of defence, its formed bodies and outposts must descend below their normal positions. As for an enemy's ships approaching without being observed from the high ground on account of fog, there is no spot on the island whence an observer commands all the sea approaches; and when the usual points of observation are in the mist, the approach of ships would be telegraphed from D'Aguilar, and made known by scouts thrown out to Wong-ma-Kok from the Stanley Telephone Office. Our scouts on Mount Davis would telephone ships coming from the west.

23. Briefly described, that portion of the mainland which enters more closely into the Scheme of Defence, known as the Kowloon Peninsular, is a tangled network of disintegrated granite hillocks, scored by crevices and gullies. It is bounded on the north by a chain of hills studded with peaks, which spring from the main ridge to heights varying from 900 to 1,980 feet. This chain of hills runs for two-thirds of the way due west and east, and then sharply recurves for the remaining distance to the south. The western and eastern flanks rest on the sea, and it thus forms a barrier wall, affording many facilities for defence.

24. Through the hills to the north of Kowloon there are six passes. They are, commencing from the east:-

*

Customs Pass. 763 feet. A well-defined Chinese paved track. Grasscutters Pass, 1,325 feet. A similar track.

Shatin Pass, 963 feet. A similar track, but contains flights of rough steps. Kowloon Pass, 1,036 feet. Similar to the Shatin Pass.

Coolie Pass. A mere footpath between Beacon Hill and Eagle's Nest. Lai-Chi-Kok Pass. A cartroad made by the Colonial Government, which

extends to Tai-Po-Hu.

[1306]

C

8

Ballabion

Page 11

Page 11

Page 11