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Western Harbour, between Belcher's Point and Stonecutter's Island, is 3,500 yards wide, and, owing to the limited range of electric lights, it cannot be adequately defended by fixed defences on shore.
The Colonial Defence Committee are of opinion that the fixed defences should be supplemented by the provision of some local floating defence to guard the main Western Channel at night. Under existing political conditions there is but little chance of a night attack upon Hong Kong, and, in view of more urgent necessities in European waters, it is thought that 2nd class torpedo boats or picket boats would be sufficient for the purpose. But in the event of changes in the political situation causing a large increase of our naval forces in the East, it would probably be necessary to supplement the existing defences with torpedo craft of a larger class and with submarine boats.
5. The following armament is recommended :-
Armament Recom-
(a.) Eastern Entrance.-To deter attack by day, three 9.2-inch guns, Mark X, are mended. required, which should be sited so as to bear upon the approaches to the Lyemun Pass, by the Tathong Channel.
For defence against attack by night, three 6-inch guns, Mark VII, are required.
(b.) Western Entrance.-Sir J. Owen's Committee recommend that, for the defence of the western entrance by day, five 9'2-inch guns should be provided, of which four should be capable of bearing simultaneously on the approach to the western entrance of the harbour between the East Lamma Channel on the south-east and Stonecutter's Island on the north.
The Colonial Defence Committee are of opinion that the immediate provision of heavy armament to sweep the approaches to the western entrance of the harbour is the most urgent requirement of the defences of Hong Kong, and, while they agree with Sir J. Owen's Committee that the provision of five 9-2-inch guns is desirable, they consider it essential that four 9.2-inch guns should be at once provided.
For the defence of the Main Channel between Belcher's Point and Stonecutter's Island against attack by night six 6-inch guns, Mark VII, are required, three of which should be mounted on Stonecutter's Island and three at Belcher's Point.
For the defence of the North Stonecutter's Channel two 6-inch guns, Mark VII, mounted on Stonecutter's Island, so as to sweep that channel, will suffice.
6. It is recommended that these guns should be sited as follows:-
(a.) Eastern Entrance -The two 9.2-inch guns now emplaced in Pottinger Battery cover the approaches to the Lyemun Pass by the Tathong Channel, and should therefore be retained as at present. The third 9'2-inch gun should be mounted in Gough Battery, on the site of one of the 6-inch guns at present mounted there. The provision of the third 9.2-inch gun is, however, regarded as of secondary importance in comparison with the urgent need of the 9.2-inch guns for the western entrance.
The 6-inch guns for the defence against night attack should be emplaced at Pak- sha-wan; one on the knoll to the right of the existing battery, one about the position of the left-hand 12-pr. gun, and the third to the left of that position.
(b.) Western Entrance.-The only channels of approach to the western entrance, navigable by heavy-armoured vessels, are the East Lamma Channel and the West Lamma Channel.
These channels can be completely commanded by works sited on Mount Davis, and it is recommended that 4-9.2-inch guns should be emplaced on the western slope of that hill, about 500 feet above sea level, so as to be capable of bearing on the approaches to the western entrance. The exact sites for these guns will have to be decided on after local consideration, and great care will have to be exercised in the selection in order to insure that the guns do not mask one another's fire in bearing over the wide area of water from the Lamma Channels on the south to the deep water lying to the south and east of Stonecutter's Island on the north.
For the defence of the Centre Channel against night attack, the two 6-inch guns, Mark VII, now emplaced at Lower Belcher Battery should be retained, and a third gun should be mounted in Upper Belcher Battery on the site of the existing 10-inch B.L.
gun.
As regards the defences on Stonecutter's Island for the protection of the Centre and North Stonecutter's Channels, General Sir J. Owen's Committee recommend that 3-
Sites for Batteries.
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