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D G MI

To be noted at January meeting of Colonial Defence Committee.

No. 1. War Office to

thong thong Strength of Garricon

bou

860 D.G.M.I.(B).

Sir,

Seoret.

Colonial Office.

29. 10. 01.

96

No. 264 M.

I am directed by the Secretary of State for

War to request that you will lay before the Secretary of

State for the Colonies the enclosed Memorandum of the

Colonial Defence Committee on the strength of the

garrison of Hong Kong, and that you will state that

Mr Secretary Brodrick approves of the conclusions of the

Committee and that the Lords Commissioners of the

Admiralty have also expressed their concurrence.

2. The Admiralty have further stated that by the

letter referred to in paragraph 5 of the memorandum,

Their Lordships did not intend to imply that His Majesty's

Navy would be unable to ward off from Hong Kong the

deliberate attack of a fleet accompanied by a large

landing force; their desire was merely to point out

that the Naval base should he prepared to resist a

raiding attack of greater strength than heretofore.

I am to enolose a second copy of the Colonial

Defence Committee's Memorandum with a view to its trans-

mission, if Mr Chamberlain should think fit, to the

Governor of the Colony.

3.

Before deciding as to the best means of carry-

ing out this increase in the Hong Kong garrison the

Secretary of State for War will await the report promised

by the Secretary of State for the Colonies as to the suit-

ability of that island as a station for the Chinese Regt.

I have, etc.,

(Fgd.) E.W.n.Ward.

Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

(Similar letter to G.0.0. on 31. 10. 01.)

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