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The camp was fairly well attended, and much practical work was performed, including gun drill with 10-inch B.L., 6-inch B.L., and 3-pr. Q.F. guns at Stonecutters, West and East, also company, carbine, and rifle drills. Numerous lectures were given by the Staff, and the C.R.A. kindly gave a very instructive lecture on artillery in coast defence.

The Engineer Company, in addition to musketry and intantry drills, did daily drills with the engines and search-lights under the supervision of the Royal Engineer instructors. Major Baker Brown, R.E., kindly gave an instructive lecture on electric light in coast defence, which was well attended and much appreciated by the artillery units as well as the Engineer Company.

The same officer also carried out an examination of the Engineer Company in their technical work.

29. The C.R.A. inspected the artillery units at Stonecutters, West, on the 18th October. The guns of the fort were completely manned, and there were spare detachments at the 6-inch B.L. guns.

Each officer and detachment were seen separately by the C.R.A. and given orders by him personally, so that the inspection was very thoroughly carried out. The C.R.A. expressed himself very pleased with the drill of all ranks, and stated that he considered that, after such a short period of drill, the progress made had been exceptionally good, and that the officers especially seemed to have been well trained and knew their work very well.

30. Colonel L. F. Brown, C.R.E., Acting General Officer Commanding, inspected the corps and camp on Sunday, the 19th October, and there were present 155 of all ranks.

Miscellaneous.

31. The annual inspection of the corps by his Excellency the General Officer Commanding was held on the 28th March, and it will be seen from the parade state (Enclosure No. 7*) that, considering the strength of the corps, there was a good number on parade.

The absentees from the inspection are as under:-

51 absent with leave (mostly out of the Colony).

5 on medical certificate.

3 absent from the Colony without leave.

14 absent without leave (in the Colony).

32. His Excellency the Governor's Shield was shot for on the 5th April, 1902, by teams of eight from each unit, and won by the late "B" Machine gun Company, now Left-half No. 1 Company Hong Kong Volunteer Artillery.

33. The shield presented by his Excellency Sir W. J. Gascoigne for Maxim gun practice was not competed for owing to the change in organization. The conditions have now been altered and approved by his Excellency, and the competition will in future be for gun drill, the gun or guns to be selected by the Commandant. This year it is proposed to carry out the competition with 15-pr. B.L. guns, that being the only gun at which the men can drill frequently without proceeding to the forts.

34. The corps took part in the King's Birthday Parade at the Happy Valley on the 10th November.

35. New Regulations for the Corps were published in the "Government Gazette" of the 14th November, showing the new constitution and some alterations in the uniform of the corps.

36. The change in the constitution of the corps was brought about owing to an urgent letter from the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery, who pointed out the absolute necessity of more garrison artillery in the command, and, when it was found that no more garrison artillery could be furnished. he strongly urged that the Volunteer corps should be altered accordingly. The matter was put before the members of the corps, when the majority at once came forward and agreed to the change, and I wish to take this opportunity of saying that I consider great credit is due to all ranks for thus taking the matter up, as it was done against the personal wishes of a large number, and entirely because it had been put forward that the corps would be of greater service in the defence of the Colony.

The change was sanctioned on the 25th July, and new Regulations were published on the 12th November.

37. The difficulties in the way of training Volunteers here as garrison artillery are very great, and, considering these and the short time that has elapsed since the change, I consider the progress made has been very good, but, unless some arrangements can be made for drill guns near the headquarters, the numbers can never be kept up to the approved strength nor the efficiency be as good as could be wished. At present any drill with heavy guns has to be done at one of the forts in the district, and for one hour's drill the men have to give up two to three hours to allow for proceeding to and fro. This practically limits these drills to Saturday afternoon, and accounts for many of the men resigning, as they cannot possibly give up the time. I understand that there is a proposal that drill guns should be mounted at Scandal Point for the use of the R.G.A. and the Volunteers, and when these are mounted I hope to get more members and a much higher state of efficiency in the corps; in fact, without these guns I consider that it will be practically impossible to keep the present number together.

38. The Engineer Company has increased in strength from 25 to 29. They have done good work during the year, and the O.C.S.M.R.E. reports very favourably on their efficiency.

Early in the year a proposal was sent in that a shed should be put up in a central position at Kowloon, and that an engine, &c., and an electric search-light installation should be placed there for special instruction of the Volunteers to obviate the necessity of all the instruction being

* Not printed.—Sec. C.D.C.

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