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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.

CONFIDENTIAL.

No. 364 R.

HONG KONG.

Report on Volunteers, April 1904.

C.O. No. 1524/05.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

THE Colonial Office have referred to the Colonial Defence Committec a despatch of the Acting Governor of Hong Kong, dated the 23rd June, 1904, transmitting a minute of the General Officer Commanding the Troops, South China, forwarding the Report of the Commandant on the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps for the season 1903-4.

The despatch and extracts from its enclosures are printed as Appendix I to these Remarks.

2. On the 31st March, 1904, the strength of the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps was 280, as against 274, 318, 366, 311, and 181 at the corresponding periods of the five preceding years.

Nos. 1 and 2 Artillery Companies, with an establishment of 310, were 196 strong, a decrease of 37 during the year. The strength of the Engineer Company, with an establishment of 60, was 23, a decrease of 6.

3. This Report does not call for detailed comment from the Colonial Defence Committee. The cause of the falling off in numbers of the Artillery Companies, viz., an ill-considered change in the duties assigned to them, was fully discussed in the Committee's Remarks on the two previous Annual Reports, and has now been remedied. The insufficiency of instructional facilities for the Engineer Company has tended to discourage volunteers, but the Committee are informed that all stores required by the unit are now at the station.

Development of Volunteer Movement, 1904.

4. The Colonial Office have also referred to the Committee a despatch, dated the 10th December, 1994, from the Governor on the subject of the steps which he has taken to increase the assistance rendered by the British civil population of Hong Kong to His Majesty's forces in time of war.

The despatch and its enclosures, which are printed as Appendix II, show that Sir M. Nathan has initiated a Volunteer movement of considerable scope, which aims at affording greatly extended opportunities to the various classes among the British resident population for fitting themselves in peace for personal service in time of war or emergency. This object is sought by providing as many as four or five distinct Volunteer units, and two or three loss highly organized associations, each of which will appeal to a different section of the British community.

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