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and the troops that are or could easily be brought there in anticipation of war. It also varies from time to time with changing political combinations. But it is improbable that a raiding attack would be made by more than a few ships, nor could it be of any permanent effect unless troops could be landed. In no case could a greater force than a few thousand men be collected and conveyed without such arrangements and preparation as would bring the operations under the category of those dealt with by the navy. Against a raid of the nature indicated it has been considered necessary to make secure those places which are essential to the navy for coaling, refitting, and repairing."

The Colonial Defence Committee earnestly trust that this policy will be adhered to in its integrity, and that the naval forces maintained by His Majesty's Government in Eastern waters will continue to bear such a proportion to those of other Powers that the maintenance of sea supremacy will be assured. They would wish to assume that the expression in the Admiralty letter to the War Office is only intended to amount to a warning that the Navy may temporarily be unable to keep foreign squadrons at a distance from Hong Kong, and that attacks from the sea on the coast defences may have to be met. Such a condition would itself be sufficiently serious, and the means of obviating it are no doubt engaging their Lordships' attention, but it need not involve the assured control by an enemy of sea communications for a period sufficient for the organization and conveyance to Hong Kong in transports of a considerable military force.

7. Acting on this assumption for the purpose of the present Memorandum, and guided by the principles laid down in the passage quoted in the preceding paragraph, the Committee proceed to consider only the modifications in the strength of the garrison of Hong Kong necessitated by recent alterations in the strategic conditions. These alterations include a further increase in foreign naval forces in Eastern waters, the development of a great naval base by Russia at Port Arthur 1,200 miles from Hong Kong, and the continued growth of the military strength of Russia in Eastern Asia and of France in Indo-China.

The effect of these changes and of the enhanced importance of Hong Kong as a commercial centre and strategic base has been to increase the facilities available to carry out a raiding attack on the Colony, and also the incentives which are offered to such attack. The Colonial Defence Committee consider that the garrison now approved, which falls below that recommended by them by some 420 men- repre- senting the difference between the actual and anticipated Colonial strengths of two Indian battalions-is no longer adequate; and they are of opinion that some, though not a large, increase is necessary. They understand that His Majesty's Govern- ment have decided that the fortification of Wei-hai Wei is not to be proceeded with, and that the garrison is to be limited to the numbers required to furnish sentries over the small naval establishments at that port. The War Office have suggested to the Admiralty that two depôt companies of the Chinese Regiment recruited at Wei-hai Wei might be utilized for this service, and have inquired whether there will be a sufficient number of marines or bluejackets at Wei-hai Wei to deal with the possible, though not probable, contingency of insubordination in this Chinese depôt, and to obviate the inconvenience of the addition of a company of British infantry detached from Hong Kong. Should the arrangements contemplated by the War Office be carried into effect the two companies of British infantry which the Colonial Defence Committee recommended should be detached from Hong Kong for service at Wei-hai Wei will again become available at the former station, and the Committee are of opinion that these two British companies, and six companies of the Chinese Regiment raised at Wei-hai Wei, should be added to the garrison of Hong Kong for the reasons given above.

The garrison (excluding general staff and departmental details) now approved, with Gol informed

the additional infantry now recommended for approval, is shown in Appendix III.

J. E. CLAUSON, Secretary,

Colonial Defence Committee.

on Itong Kong / 24/249

of perposer

June 25, 1901.

addition to guwa-

Juris

(Signed)*

083

860

No. 2

083

Under

Approved by SAW.

bystw.

40. 3860

25710701

C

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