CAB11-57-11 — Page 17

Page 17

CHAPTER II (C).

I

Page 17

14

the second, known as the Frontier Road, emanating from the same starting point, runs through Yaumati over the Kowloon Hills to Tai-po-hu, while the third runs from Yaumati, through the centre of the Kowloon peninsula, and joins the Kowloon-Kowloon City Road close to the latter place. This road throws off lateral branches in the shape of pathways to east and west, of which the most noteworthy is the pathway which joins the Kowloon-Kowloon City Road at Hunghom. There are five passes which cross the Kowloon Hills, named respectively, from east to west, the Customs Pass, the Grass Cutters Pass, the Shatin Pass, the Kowloon Pass, and the Lai-chi-kok Pass. The Frontier Road, on the west, crosses the Lai-chi-kok Pass, and the Kowloon-Kowloon City Road crosses the Customs Pass, that portion of this road beyond Kowloon City being for the most part a narrow paved Chinese road, which runs to Hebe Haven. The remaining passes are crossed by narrow pathways, suitable for the movement of infantry in file and light mountain guns capable of being carried, and are those chiefly used by grass-cutters and villagers journeying to Hong Kong from the villages on the far side of the Kowloon Hills.

Communications with the Kowloon Hills are being improved and supplemented.

(ii.) Communication of Orders and Intelligence.

1. Intelligence will be received from :-

(a.) The Governor, who will communicate by telephone or messenger direct to the G O.C. at the Headquarters Office in Fletcher Street any information he may receive by cable from the Secretary of State, or from the Governors of neighbouring countries.

(b.) The Commodore, who will communicate by the direct telephone line from his office in the Dockyard, or by messenger with the G.O.C. at the Headquarters Office, any information he may receive by cable or from incoming ships, with regard to the location and movement of any enemy's ships in the neighbourhood of Hong Kong, also information of the intended entrance or exit of any of His Majesty's ships to or from the harbour.

(c.) The Harbour Master, who will inform the D.A.Q.M.G. at the Headquarters Office through the Colonial telephone system, which centres in the Central Police Station, or by messenger, and also, on examining vessels concerned, of the approach of any ships communicating with any of the ships signalling stations, and also of the hour of departure of any ships from the harbour.

The ships signalling stations above referred to are:-

The Gap Rock and Waglan lighthouses, and the Peak, Green Island, and Blackhead's

Hill signal stations.

Every ship sighted from Gap Rock is reported by telegraph to the Telegraph Company, who pass on the report by telephone to the Harbour Office and signal stations-in the case of a man-of-war to the Naval Yard.

Every ship sighted from Waglan is reported by telephone as above.

Every ship sighted from the signal stations, not previously reported to those stations is immediately signalled.

The information given is that supplied by the vessel concerned. If she hoists no colours or House flag, she is reported as a steamer or sailing-ship.

If she hoists colours only, her nationality is reported; if House flag, her house is added; if her number, her name is also sent.

It is no part of the duty of the light-keeper or signalman to guess at the identity of any ship-he only transmits information. At the lighthouses, besides the usual lighthouse staff, there is a clerk for transmitting messages, and also one at each of the signal stations.

Port war signal stations will take the place of the lighthouses in time of war. (A scheme is on foot for the establishment of these.)

(d.) The Superintendent of Police, who will communicate to the D.A.Q.M.G. at the Head- quarters Office by telephone or by messenger any information he may receive through the Police system of communication, which centres in the Central Police Exchange, of any hostile or suspicious movement of ships or men in the neighbourhood of the outlying stations north of Taí Po, or the mainland, or along the south shore of the Island of Hong Kong.

(e.) The Section Commanders, who will communicate to the Headquarters Office by the military command telephone system information as to the hostile movements preliminary to or in the course of an action.

2. Intelligence and orders will be communicated by the military command system of telephones to Section Commanders' Headquarters, and from them to certain permanent telephone offices in their sections. In sections with fixed defences these offices include the posts of the Fire Com- mander and O.C.S.M. of the section, from which the R.A. and S.M. command systems communicate with each battery, electric light, or submarine mining test room.

In all sections there are certain permanent offices in the Infantry outpost line, from which further communication would be by flag signalling or orderlies.

When the telephone system is incomplete it is supplemented by flag signalling.

Page 17

Page 17

Page 17