IMAGI-NATIONS. PART 47

 PREPARATIONS FOR THE INVASION OF CHINA.

Following the signing of the treaty between the UNION, Britain and India in Spring 1891 preparations commenced to prepare for the invasion of China by the UNION from northern India. In May a British ship arrived in Miami with a group of British government officials and a number of civil and railway engineers. They were met by the UNION India Survey Group. This comprised a number of UNION government officers together with UNION railway engineers and a large group of UNION army logistics officers, veterinary officers and a company of Field Police to provide security. All UNION army personnel were out of uniform. The group also included a number of vehicles and equipment provided by the UNION army to enable the survey group to travel extensively within India without recourse to local transport.

The joint survey team arrived in Bombay early in June and were immediately joined by a number of Indian government officials, army officers and local engineers. The combined group immediately started to survey the docks in Bombay to determine what construction would be needed to meet the UNION army's requirements  both in terms of dock facilities, railway marshaling yards and storage facilities. The group then traveled slowly north towards the Chinese frontier surveying the route of  the new railway lines.  On arrival at the border region the survey group determined the location and facilities needed to provide railhead facilities. At the same time, some of the UNION army personnel remained in Bombay to survey and determine what resources may be available in India to meet logistical requirements including food , fodder and local horses.

By August the surveys had been completed and the group returned to Bombay where discussions commenced on the construction needed and a programme was developed for implementation by the Indian government assisted by British engineers. Early in October the UNION members of the survey group returned to Miami.

The plan developed was quickly ratified by all the participating governments and construction commenced in mid October 1891. The plan provided for no additional docks in Bombay as the existing facilities were deemed adequate. However a very large area of land beside the docks was secured to provide a base for the UNION army. The storage, troop transit, medical and administrative facilities and railway marshalling areas commenced construction in late October. At the same time construction commenced on additional railway lines following the existing lines to the border with China. Land for three railheads on the border was secured and construction also commenced on those facilities.

All construction was scheduled to be completed by the end of 1892. In the meantime the UNION army began preparing plans and timetables for the deployment of 8 UNION armies to India together with vast quantities of munitions, food, fodder and other essential stores. Around this time it was also decided that a new army would be formed. The 11th Reserve army would be created to join 10th Reserve army to provide security for the UNION while the bulk of the regular army was deployed to India. Both reserve armies would be called up in good time to allow for intensive re-training before the regular army deployed.

Discussions also took place to ensure the British could provide sufficient shipping. To meet the anticipated requirements it was agreed that only ships of 10,000 tons or more and capable of at least 20 knots would be used. To ensure sufficient capacity the British laid down a number of new ships for delivery by the end of 1892. The deployment plans developed allowed for the accumulation in Bombay and at the railheads of a three month stock of all supplies before the main body of UNION troops began to arrive. To preserve as much secrecy as possible the UNION troops would be deployed to India in the shortest possible time. Also to avoid China becoming suspicious, the construction efforts were publicly announced as a major British investment to provide the infrastructure needed to develop northern India.

By October 1892 construction and associated planning by all parties was well advanced and proceeding to timetable.