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This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.!

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. November 10, 1898.

SECRET.

No. 157 M.

HONG KONG.

W.O. No.

HONG KONG 5.

10815/97.

Electric Lights and Sectional Organization.

Memorandum by the Colonial Defence Committee.

THE War Office have referred to the Colonial Defence Committee a question that has arisen with regard to paragraph 20 of their Remarks No. 172 R, dated the 30th November, 1897, on the Hong Kong Defence Scheme, revised to June 1897.

In this paragraph the Committee, after explaining the general system on which the submarine mining defences of a defended port could be brought into its sectional organization, stated as follows:-

"A difficulty arises in the case of Hong Kong, owing to the desirability of undivided control over the two mine-fields (which are practically one) between Stonecutter's and the main island. It is considered that this difficulty will best be met by placing the whole mine-field in this channel under No. II Section Commander at Belcher's, since the mines of the friendly channel are to be fired from the southern side, and it is from this side that the friendly channel is illumi- nated, and mainly protected by gun fire. The observers at Stonecutter's and other personnel connected with the mine-field between Stonecutter's and the main island and its illumination should be considered as part of the garrison of No. II Section, and should receive their instructions from the D. O. S. M. in that section, with whom they should be in direct cable communication. The entire charge of the mine-field between Stonecutter's and the mainland will, of course, be under the Commander of No. I Section."

2. In arranging the submarine mining communications of the fortress chain of command so as to give effect to the above recommendation, the War Office have found that a difficulty arises with regard to placing the control of two out of the three electric lights on Stonecutter's Island, which is No. I Section, under the command of No. II Section at Belcher's. The lights in question are:--

(1.) A 15 degree fixed beam, lighting the main mine-field between Stonecutter's Island and Belcher's, and

(2.) A search light to illuminate the main channel which passes between these places.

3. To carry out the principles upon which the area of command is organized into sections, these two lights should undoubtedly be under the Section Commander at Belcher's, who is responsible for the defence of the Main Channel. These principles are, however, already violated in the artillery organization as the artillery defence of the Main Channel, about 4,000 yards in width, is divided between No. I (Stonecutter's) and No. II (Belcher's) Sections. It is pointed out that the lights in question will be chiefly of use to that part of the armament at Stonecutter's Island which bears on the northern half of the Main Channel, and the waters west and north-west of Stonecutter's, all of which are beyond effective range from the Belcher's side, and that it would appear very desirable that the guns and lights should be under the same control.

[1879]

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