CAB11-57-17 — Page 17

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CHAPTER I (D).

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(b) is likely to be conducted by battleships. The attack, if pressed home, must be delivered through the Tathong Channel, and may or may not be supported by direct or indirect fire at long range east of the Island of Tung Lung.

(c) This form of attack is favoured by many naval officers, and would consist of a straight run in through the Tathong Channel and Lyemun Pass, the battleships endeavouring to cripple the batteries en route. Such attack would, of course, probably be supported by the fire of other vessels.

4. Pottinger is the selected battery, and is in telephonic communication with the port war signal station.

At Lyemun there is a Brennan torpedo establishment on the south side of the pass. The question of an establishment is now under consideration by the home authorities.

There are four concentrated search-lights numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the south side of the pass for lighting up the water area in front of Pakshawan Battery.

At Cape Collinson there is an artillery look-out posted.

5. The gun defences of the Western entrance are those of the Island of Hong Kong and those of the Island of Stonecutters.

These batteries, at present in a state of rearmament, will eventually form three distinct groups, situated as follows :-

5-9.2-inch in four groups at Mount Davis.

3--6-inch

22

5-6-inch

21

""

Belchers.

Stonecutters, West.

The Mount Davis guns can engage an enemy's ship as soon as she approaches Lamma Channel to the south, and have a wide arc of fire as far north as Chunghue Island.

The Belchers guns and three of the Stonecutters guns command the waters between Mount Davis and Stonecutters.

Three of the Stonecutters guns also command the entrance to the North Stone- cutters Channel.

6. The forms of attack to be expected are similar to those at the Eastern entrance, but the area to defend is of far greater extent.

(a.) Reconnaissance attack.

(b.) Bombardment in detail.

(c.) Attempt to run past the defences.

(a) might be merely for the purpose of drawing fire and locating defences, or it might be the prelude to a bombardment in detail; the latter is the most likely, as the position of our defences unfortunately cannot be disguised, and would be well known to any hostile Power likely to attack.

(b) is likely to be conducted by battleships from the direction of East and West Lamma Channel, such attack being possibly supported by a secondary attack from the Cap-si-Mun Pass by cruisers which have a sufficiently light draught to pass through the narrow channel near the Brother's group of rocks.

(c) Of the three channels through which a run past might be attempted, the The use of Sulphur Channel affords the most rapid means of entering the harbour. the centre, or South Stonecutters Channel, would disclose the intentions of the enemy some time before they could be put into operation.

The North Stonecutters Channel

is only possible for ships of light draught.

7. The selected battery is Mount Davis, which is in telephonic communication with port war signal station and Jubilee Look-out.

There are five concentrated search-lights at Stonecutters round Stonecutters West numbered 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and three near Belchers numbered 10, 11, and 12.

At Jubilee Look-out an artillery look-out is posted.

8. The extent to which the measures for the defence of Hong Kong are to be brought into operation will depend on the local necessities of the occasion, but it has been laid down as a principle that during the more or less gradual transition from a

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