§ 15. Commander FANSHAWEasked the Secretary of State for War the strength and composition of the British force which was at Tientsin before the despatch of the Shanghai defence force; has any reduction of the force taken place at any time since it was established in 1900; and are any other foreign troops stationed at Tientsin?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)The establishment of the British force at Tientsin is one infantry battalion. From this force a company is detached for duty at Peking, and a platoon at Wei-hai-wei. From 1900 to the present date the composition of the garrison of Tientsin has varied from time to time, but the maximum establishment during the period, which was reached in 1912, was two British and one Indian battalions together with certain details. There are detachments of American, French, Italian and Japanese troops at Tientsin, totalling approximately 3,400.