Page 364
Page 364
336
Page 364
Appendix No. 4. varying from 4 to 12 fathoms. The tides here do not exceed 21⁄2 knots, and the bottom is mud and
sand, with a few occasional rocks. HONG KONG.
A firing and observation station would have to be constructed, to the west of North Point Fort, on a commanding knoll sheltered by the fort, and distant about 400 yards from the mines defending the friendly ships channel. All the cables of this mine-field would be led into this station.
The mine-field is about 2 miles distant from the submarine mining establishment, and 23 miles from the centre of the town.
The mines required for this line of defence would be—
16 500-lb. ground mines.
56 100-lb. electro-contact mines.
If the new method of mooring mines by explosive links be adopted, I would suggest that the Lyemoon Pass be defended by twenty 100-lb. electro-contact mines, moored in this manner; they could then he laid out as ground mines, and floated at a depth of 10 feet on the approach of an enemy's ship.
The length of the line of mines would be 300 yards. The proposed fort at Quarry Point would give a good artillery-fire over these mines, and additional artillery-fire would, doubtless, be afforded by a gun-boat stationed in this pass. A firing and testing station would be constructed near Quarry Point, under the protection of the fort.
Number of mines required.-twenty 100-lb. electro-contact mines, with the special proportions of stores for mooring by explosive links.
(ii.) Western Entrance.
In the western entrance (with a large number of mines, and neglecting the aid of passive obstruction), the most favourable line of defence is between Stonecutter's Island, west side, and Belcher's Point, Hong Kong.
The proposed forts at these two sites would give a good flanking fire over the mine-field; and the batteries at the central site, Stonecutter's Island, also fires over the northern part of this line.
At Belcher's Point an improvised emplacement could be formed (on the sea-level, and just to the east of the site for the fort) for guns told off solely for the purpose of flanking the line of mines.
A channel for friendly ships is to be made near the Hong Kong shore, 120 yards wide, and directed on the usual bearings of ships entering the harbour through the Sulphur Channel; this friendly ships' channel is 6 fathoms deep at low water, and would be defended by 500-lb. ground mines on the line of mines system.
The remainder of the line would be formed with 100-lb. electro-contact mines, in depths varying from 4 to 10 fathoms at low water. The tides here do not exceed 2 knots, and the bottom is mud and sand.
The firing and observation station should be constructed on the east side of Belcher's Point Fort, and the cables from about two-thirds of this mine-field led into it, the cables of the remaining one- third, at the northern end, being led into a firing and testing station on Stonecutter's Island, near the central battery. The firing and observation station at Belcher's Point would be about 500 yards distant from the mines defending the friendly ships' channel.
This mine-field is distant about 2 miles from the submarine mining establishment, and about 2 miles from the important parts of the town. The length of the line of defence is over 2 miles, and, if time permitted, I would propose to form a line of immovable passive obstructions on the centre third of the entrance, so as to bring all navigable parts well within range of the forts.
Total number of mines required to defend this line-
16 500-lb. ground mines.
152 100-lb. electro-contact mines.
In the passage to the north of Stonecutter's Island, the line running north from the northern point of the island to the mainland is, I think, the most favourable for defence.
It is well defended by the cross-fire of the central and western batteries, and an improvised emplacement could be formed securely (on the sea-level, and just to the east of the northern point of Stonecutter's Island) for a gun to flank the line of mines.
The line would be composed of 100-lb. electro-contact mines, in depths of from 4 to 5 fathoms at low water. The tides do not exceed 24 knots, and the bottom is mud and sand, with occasional rocks.
The cables from these mines would be led into the firing and testing station near Stonecutter's central site, previously mentioned.
Total number of mines for this line of defence-forty-four 100-lb. electro-contact mines.
I would propose to supplement these with passive obstructions as time permitted.
The other line of defence proposed for this entrance between Stonecutter's East and Kowloon Peninsula, does not include the important parts of the entrance to the north of Stonecutter's Island; it is inside and behind the range of defence of the proposed work at Stonecutter's West, and allows that fort to be taken in reverse; it is one mile nearer the naval coal stores, and exposes the Cosmopolitan Docks; and also it is 400 yards longer than the line now proposed.
(iii.) Aberdeen.
The entrances to Aberdeen Docks must be closed mechanically at the last moment in war- time, or any mines there must be placed in charge of the gun-boats or naval detachments stationed at these docks, as their defence would be outside the line of defence proposed to be held by the troops in garrison.
en
in
WI
m
ar
w
in
P
hi
Si
m
200 83
G1
Co
Ja
lai
w]
22
(S
M
De
au
ve
of
Page 364
Page 364
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.