CAB11-57-2 — Page 10

Page 10

Page 10

Laboratory.

Artillery require- ments.

Barrack

accommo-

dation,

10

town. This, though perhaps more expensive than the construction of a pier, would better meet the requirements of the Ordnance Store Department.

Magazine accommodation for the reserve ammunition of the 6-pr. Q.F. guns will be required.

The laboratory should be moved to a more convenient site. The delay and expense caused by having to carry heavy shells up the steep hill on which the laboratory is situated is at present very considerable.

A site could, we understand, be obtained on the Kowloon Peninsula. It should be near the water, so that stores could be easily landed and transported to it. A memorandum from the Senior Ordnance Store Officer, Hong Kong, is attached, vide Appendix III.

6. ARTILLERY REQUIREMENTS.

A tabular statement is attached to the report, showing the alterations we propose in the armaments of Hong Kong, vide Appendix II. They briefly are as follows:-

(1.) The substitution of 2-10-in. B.L. for 9-2-in. B.L. guns, it not being advisable, as already explained in our Report on the Defences of Singapore, to complicate the armament and ammunition supply by the introduction of two heavy B.L. guns of a different calibre.

These two guns should be on disappearing carriages. They are proposed to be placed at Lyemun and Green Island respectively.

(2.) The addition to the armament of 2-6-in. B.L. guns on disap-

pearing carriages. These are proposed for Green Island.

(3.) The retention of 4-7-in. R.M.L. guns, which are now mounted

on the inner defences.

(4.) The abolition of the proposed shore battery for 3-64-pr. R.M.L.

guns on Stonecutter Island.

(5.) The addition to the armament of 3—6-pr. Q.F. guns, and six

rifle-calibre machine guns.

7. BARRACK ACCOMMODATION.

At present the whole of the troops are quartered in the town, but when the new defences are completed, it is most desirable that the Artillery should be stationed in close proximity to the guns which they would have to drill with in peace time, and work in war time.

There is a proposal to increase the barrack accommodation belonging to the War Department by a reconstruction of the buildings in the vicinity of the Wellington Barracks, and the Head-Quarter Offices.

These buildings were originally Chinese shops, and it appears that they do not fulfil the requisite sanitary conditions, and that the Principal Medical Officer has given only a qualified approval of their temporary use.

We are of opinion that the cost of making these buildings habitable for Europeans will be considerable, and recommend that before any alterations be made to the barrack accommodation in the town, the following should be provided :-

Page 10

:

:

Stonecutter Island..

Kowloon

North Point, or Lyemun..

Belcher's Point

Accommodation.

Royal Artillery.

Sikh Artillery.

battery

1 battery.

battery

:

:

HA

X

Page 10

Page 10Page 11