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In the circumstances likely to be existing at Hong Kong, it is improbable that any increased expenditure in coast defence anti-ship ammunition would be entailed. Hong Kong now hold landwards firing ammunition for their coast defence armament in excess of their approved scale. Also to divert extra coast defence ammunition to Hong Kong would affect adversely deliveries c2 modern shell to Gibraltar and Malta. In view of these factors I do not recommend that any increase should be made now in the Coast defence ammunition holdings.

No ammunition can be spared now for the mobile artillery which Hong Kong have,

ཙྩ ཝ' ཏྟ ཨདྡྷི

101

Although in the Memorandum put forward by the Port Defence Committee (Paper No. C.0.S.(39) 176) it is stated (paragraph 4) that the period before relief for Singapore has been raised to six months, this in fact is not the case. The Chiefs of Staff last September decided that reserves in Singapore should be built up to a six months scale, but did not raise the period before relief officially, as this would have involved reconsideration of the size of the garrison of all three services; it was agreed that the data for such a review were so indeterminable that a detailed investigation would not be worth while.

basis.

I suggest that Hong Kong is treated on the same

After consideration of all these factors, I recommend the following:-

(a) In view of the undesirability of diverting to

Hong Kong at the present time any men, armament of war-like stores, no increase should be made in the existing Period before Relief, i.e. 90 days. This decision to be subject to periodical review.

(b) Due allowance being made for anticipated losses

in stocks due to enemy action, food supplies for the garrison should be built up to 130 days as soon as the necessary accommodation has been built. The Local Government should make arrangements for supplies for a similar period for the civil population by

(1) increasing their holdings.

(ii) formulating a rationing scheme for

introduction immediately supplies are interrupted.

(iii) taking all possible measures not only

to prevent an influx of refugees but to reduce the island population to the minimum.

(c) Stocks of ammunition should also be built up to 130 days scale where this is possible without affecting our requirements vis-a-vis Germany. The General Officer Commanding, China, should be authorised to build the necessary storage magazines as soon as possible.

Richmond Terrace, S.W.1.

17th February, 1940. C.O.S.(39) 32nd Meeting, Minute 3.

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