CAB11-57-8 — Page 6

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under the land of Chung Hue and get in round the north side of Stonecutters Island. All the boats to act independently after we left Aberdeen Dock.

At 6:30 P.M. we left Aberdeen Dock, and steamed slowly towards Kain Chan Island. At 7:26 P.M. I first got into beams of the Stonecutters search-light (I was screened by Green Island up to this time), and at 7:45 P.M. I got into the beam of the Belchers search-light, but we were evidently not seen. At 8 P.M. I heard several guns fired, and afterwards learnt that it was No. 37 that had been discovered.

At 8.15 P.M., when I was about half-way between Kain Chan Island and Chung Hue, Belchers search-light was kept on us for about three-quarters of a minute, but I do not think we were seen, as there were no guns fired, and the light continued its searching. At 8:30 P.M., just as I was close up under Chung Hue, all the lights were put out, and as they were not switched on again I steamed straight in.

No. 20 torpedo-boat attempted to get in by the mid-channel passage between Stonecutters Island and Belchers, and was just passing through the fixed beams between those two places at 8:25 P.M. when the lights were put out.

He had evaded

the two search-lights, and had not been seen up to the time of the lights being put out. He fired his rocket (which was the signal agreed upon if a boat got in undiscovered) off Kowloon about 8:45 P.M.

My ideas after the first night were that the search-lights were swept round much too fast, and that a flotilla of boats could creep close up under Green Island, coming in through the west Lamma Channel, as Green Island screens a great part of that channel from the Stonecutters search-light, and the Belchers search-light shows only just to the south of Green Island. The night was dark, with no stars out, but clear.

I

On the night of the 28th instant I ordered No. 37 torpedo-boat to try and get in through the Lyemun Passage, but he was discovered before he got up to the pass. ordered No. 20 to try the mid-channel passage between Belchers and Stonecutters Island. I, in No. 38 torpedo-boat, attempted to get in round the north of Stonecutters Island.

I anchored behind Chung Hue till dark, and at 7:30 weighed. At 7:45 I was in the beam of both search-lights. At about 85 both search-lights appeared to be fixed on something in the mid-channel, which afterwards turned out to be No. 20 torpedo- boat, which turned round and steamed out again, but while the Stonecutters Island search-light was looking after No. 20 I got right up nearly to the fixed light on the north of Stonecutters Island, but was then discovered by the search-light at 8-12, and fired on.

At about 8.20 No. 20 was also discovered and fired on, trying to come in again by the mid-channel passage.

I cannot help thinking that with luck a boat might get in round the north of Stonecutters Island, as though the search-light there is a very good one, the fixed light seemed to me to be rather weak, and I think that if the search-light was kept employed on anything coming in by the mid-channel passage, a boat might crawl in under the mainland, and I certainly think another search-light on Stonecutters Island would be a good thing. The search-lights again, in my opinion, were worked too fast in sweeping round. Lieutenant Bamber, in No. 37, reports that the pedestals of all the lights at Lyemun are clearly visible, and he thinks he could have shot away the lights. The night was dark, but clear and starlight.

On the evening of the 29th I ordered No. 37 to attempt to get in by the mid-channel passage, No. 20 to attempt to get in round the north of Stonecutters Island, while I, in No. 38, attempted to crawl in close inshore inside Green Island.

I was

I crept round the point, and at 7:47 Belcher search-light was fairly on me. then well inside the harbour. I was not fired on, though the light was kept fixed on me, and I do not know if I was seen or not. As I got directly under the search-light I was screened entirely from it by a row of high buildings, then I made a dash across the fixed beam and was fired on. I could hardly have been half-a-minute in the beam as I was close in shore. As soon as I was through the beam I stopped, and then came

on slow.

No. 20, attempting to come in round the north of Stonecutters Island, kept stopping and turning end on to the light every time it was turned on her, and this seems to have been very effective, as she was not fired on, but owing to the time limit she had to make a dash just before 9 P.M. so as to get through the fixed beam, and was discovered and fired on.

No. 37 came straight in by the mid-channel and fired her rocket at 8:55, having got in without being discovered. This I considered was due to the search-light on

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