CAB11-57-9 — Page 32

Page 32

Page 32

CHAPTER II (D).

35

the flank of an invading army would be so seriously threatened as to render its advance impossible. Before it could continue its march this position would have to be taken, a task which the Chinese would not relish. Shallow draught gun-boats or armed river boats should form part of this force, and would be of the utmost service, for not only would they be able to co-operate but would cover the retirement of the force, if obliged to withdraw in face of overwhelming numbers. Another force would be moved out to the vicinity of Tai-po-hu, where there are good camping grounds, and from this base would be able to take up positions on the hills either at 365 or 391, which would bar the two lines of advance open to it. The invading Chinese army would thus have to first free its threatened flank by a long circuitous march, only to be met in front by the Tai-po-hu force. The Deep Bay force would then be available either to maintain its rôle of hanging on to the flank of the enemy or, what always instils Asiatics with the greatest fear, create such a panic in their rear and so threaten their lines of retreat as to throw them into utter demoralization. Although the contingency of a Chinese invasion is remote, the dispatch of two forces as above, working in combination, would be the best way of meeting it.

12. With a terrain so broken as Hong Kong, and with few points that command an extensive view, a great feature of the defence by so small a garrison is the power of communicating the actual landing-place of the enemy with the utmost rapidity, so that aid from neighbouring Sections and reinforcements from the reserve may be speedily brought to bear on his line of advance. The outposts thrown out from Nos. II, III, IV, and V Sections, which observe the landing-places and all points of the circular road on the south, are supplemented by telephone lines between the outposts and the head-quarters of Sections, but besides the flag-signalling between outposts and head-quarters of Sections, and the Chinese runners, whom it is intended at once to attach to the various outposts to carry back reports to the Officer Commanding the Section, there are now Colonial telephone lines running from D'Aguilar, Tytam Reservoir, Stanley, Deep Water Bay, Aberdeen, and Pokfulum, which communicate to the Central Police Station, which is in communication with the Headquarter Office; the police at the various stations are there to supplement the outposts as gainers of information.

23

To

Page 32

Page 32

Page 32