CAB11-57-1 — Page 179

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Chapter II.-Organization.

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18. Page 21.-Chapter II (A) should begin with a statement of the composition and location of the Headquarters Staff in war.

19. Page 23, Table B (i).-The list of fixed armament is now incorrect in several particulars, and will require careful revision. Guns for practice only should not be included in the Defence Scheme.

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As regards the movable armament, four 4.7-inch Q.F. guns on travelling carriages will have to be inserted on revision (W.O., No. 083/3861), and it is understood that either four 8-inch or four 6·6-inch R.M.L. howitzers will be reduced in consequence. Four 2.5-inch R.M.L. guns are shown in reserve; these were issued to replace four taken with the China Expeditionary Force, but since returned. These guns are now surplus to approved armament, but it is suggested that they might be held as a reserve to the six 2.5-inch guns until these are replaced by 15-pr. B.L. guns. Forty-four machine guns are shown.: the approved armament consists of 30 only (18 on tripod, 6 on cone, and 6 on parapet mountings), twelve on field carriages belong to the Colony; the two remaining guns apparently were sent out in connection with the China expedition, but the point might be made clear on revision.

Consequential amendments will be required in the table on page 17, and the six 3-pr. Q.F. guns shown in that table as movable armament should be struck out, as they have been replaced by machine guns and are now for practice purposes only.

20. Page 23. Artillery armament of Hong Kong Volunteer Corps.-The Colonial Defence Committee in their Memorandum, No. 193 M, dated the 8th September, 1899, on the armament of the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps, recommended that six 2.5-inch R.M.L. guns of the movable armament should be issued to the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps, in exchange for the six 7-pr. R. M.L. guns, then on charge, as a temporary measure pending the introduction of a B.L. gun suited to the conditions of the locality.

Since then six 2.95-inch B.L. guns have been issued to Hong Kong in place of 7-pr. R.M.L. guns withdrawn from armament.

The field battery of the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps is allotted to No. II (the Peak) Section on the island, while the 295-inch guns, manned by native artillery, are at present allotted to No. IV (Wong-nei-Cheong) Section, although there seems to be an intention to employ them in future at the defensive positions on the mainland. When the new movable armament is completed there will be twelve 15-pr. B.L. guns to be manned, and the six 2.5-inch R.M.L. guns will be withdrawn. The question whether the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps should then be armed with 15-pr. guns or 2.95-inch guns is

one which should now be considered by the General Officer Commanding.

21. Pages 24 to 28. Tables B (ii) to B (viii).—As the chapters containing orders to corps as to procedure on mobilization and instructions to section commanders have now been made very complete, and if the suggestions in paragraphs 30 and 34 below are adopted, Tables B (ii) to B (viii) might advantageously be eliminated.

22. Pages 29 to 31. Chapter II (C) (ii). Communication of orders and intelligence.- This section might advantageously be rewritten, concise sub-sections being devoted to the Colonial ship signalling stations (site, field of view, staff, and equipment), the military command telephone system, the military administrative telephone system, the Colonial telephone system, military flag signalling, and the Chinese runner organization.

The substance of paragraph 12 on page 35 would be more in place in Chapter II (C) (ii). Much of the present information on pages 30 and 31 in regard to the military telephone lines is, or might be, sufficiently indicated on the diagram, which will require careful revision, especially in regard to the lines under construction, and the submarine mining circuits. The technical work of completing the clectrical communications on mobilization is a matter which is best dealt with in Chapter III (D) and (E).

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