SECRET.
No. 138 R.
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. April 4, 1896.
Page 383
HONG KONG.
HONG KONG.
C.O.
No. 54. SECRET.
Letter of General Officer Commanding on Revision of
Defence Scheme.
JANUARY 1896.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE first paragraph of Major-General Black's letter, dated the 28th January, 1896, evidently misconceives his position with regard to the defence of the Colony and as to the intention of the Scheme drawn up to guide him in that defence. He refers to himself as free, until a Scheme is approved, to conduct the defence to the best of his ability.
The Colonial Defence Committee think it advisable to point out that he is not only free to do this, but also absolutely responsible for the conduct of the defence, whether a Defence Scheme has been approved or not. The object of a Scheme is not in any way to restrict the freedom of action or responsibility of the G.O.C., but mainly to assist him, especially on his first arrival in the Colony, in ensuring that all local resources can be promptly made available to repel the different forms of attack to which the Colony is held to be liable, and to enable him in anticipation of hostilities to take, without further reference, all the measures considered by him to be desirable, and which do not conflict with the general interests of the Empire.
2. Paras. 2 to 4.-The general proposals and the allotment of troops for infantry defence, now brought forward, are concurred in.
It is noted that the G.O.C. dissents from the suggestion made in the Remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee, dated the 9th July, 1895, that small infantry guards with machine-guns would suffice for the primary defence of the higher passes of the main ridge; as this dissent is based on a superior knowledge of the local topography to that possessed by the Committee, they do not propose further to press the matter.
3. Paras. 5 to 7.-The opinion of the G.O.C. as to the importance of opposing a landing at Sandy Bay is fully concurred in by the Committee. They consider, however, that an attempt to effect such a landing could more effectually be opposed by infantry and movable armament than by two 6-in. B.L. guns, mounted on the top of Mount Davis, as proposed in G.O.C.'s letter No. 1465/1 of the 31st July, 1895.
They understand that the question of increasing the garrison at Hong Kong to meet this and other requirements is now under the consideration of
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