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I have carefully reconsidered this question, and I see the strong objections pointed out by you to the Mount Austin Barracks as a place of refuge.
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There are, I find, over 4,000 non-Chinese women and children in the Colony, to whom should be added a number of Chinese women and children, British subjects, possibly Christians, whom we would not abandon.
I agree with
your Excellency that if we could obtain steamers they would afford satisfactory shelter to many, but I do not think it practicable to obtain in this way all or nearly all the accommodation that would be necessary. In that event Stonecutters Island would be the only safe place, and it seems to me that this is the best solution for what, happily, I consider a theoretical though necessary precaution.
In the event of such an attack upon Hong Kong as would stop the shipping business, of course a very large number of the coolies would at once be removed from the Colony. They would have no occupation, and must perforce return to their homes. This would reduce the internal danger.
I have, &c., (Signed)
H. A. BLAKE.
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Covering Letter of General Officer Commanding.
1. The Scheme has now been drawn up on the broad outline indicated in the Memorandum of the Colonial Defence Committee, No. 46, of the 3rd May, 1893, and due attention has been paid to the remarks of the Committee on last year's Scheme, and I trust it will meet with approval. It probably contains subject matter which may be considered superfluous, but the object which has been aimed at has been to prepare it in such form, that whenever a change in the personnel of the garrison occurs, the relieving officers may at once be put in possession, not only of the duties appertaining to their particular branch, but also of the general situation, and the measures which have been from time to time decided upon to meet the demands of the defence of the Colony.
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2. The Scheme has been drawn up for the strength of the garrison, given in the Army Estimate for 1901-1902. The numbers shown there are, however, somewhat unintelligible, in so far as they relate to the Asiatic troops allotted to the garrison. O The Estimates provide for a total of 2,463 Asiatic troops, but it is difficult to ascertain how this number has been arrived at. There are in Hong Kong 4 companies of the Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion, Royal Artillery, the strength of which according to establishment is 468 of all ranks (including officers and British N.C. officers), and a company of Chinese sappers 70 strong, these account for 538 Asiatic troops, leaving a balance of 1,925 to be accounted for by 16 companies or two battalions of Indian infantry. On the page of the Army Estimates preceding that on which the numbers of the garrison allotted to Hong Kong are given, the strength of an Indian battalion is shown as 924 of all ranks, 2 such battalions will accordingly amount to 1,848, leaving a discrepancy in numbers of 77 to be accounted for.
3. With regard also to the strength of Indian infantry battalions some remarks are necessary, as it has an important bearing on the numbers which will eventually be available for the defence of the Colony. The strength of Indian battalions varies in each of the Presidencies or commands from which they hail. The establishment of a Punjab or Bengal regiment on a peace footing is 921 (that shown in the Army Estimates), of a Madras regiment 865, of a Bombay regiment 839, and of a Hyderabad contingent regiment 845. In Madras and Bombay regiments are included 21 and 12 pension boys respectively, who would not probably accompany their regiments on foreign service, and who may therefore be excluded. It is probable, too, that regiments detailed for garrison duty at Hong Kong would be instructed to leave depôts in India which would further reduce their strength. The regiments at present in Hong Kong have all ! come on a war establishment, and are each 720 strong. Under the circumstances it has not been deemed safe to reckon on a greater strength than 100 men per company in the distribution of native infantry to the sections of defence.
4. Turning next to the question of the strength of the garrison to be maintained in Hong Kong, I have already made representation to the War Office on the minimum number of infantry which I consider even barely sufficient to render the Colony secure against attack. I have estimated that strength at 1 battalion of British infantry and 3 battalions of native infantry, but perhaps in view of the varying strength of native
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