Sir ROBERT HART, the Inspector-General of Maritime Customs who is charged with the Superintendence of the Chinese, Lighthouse Departmeent, and with his usual courtesy he at once promised to give your proposals his best attention, so that at the expiration of the New Year's holidays he might be in a position to discuss the proposals of the Hongkong Government with the Ministers of the Tsungli Yamên, but he did not disguise from me his fears that it would be almost useless to expect a reply from the Chinese Government in time to permit of the work being commenced by the second or third week in March, the date mentioned by Your Excellency, as in all probability it would be necessary to consult the Viceroy of Canton, within whose jurisdiction the Gap Rock lies.
On the 3rd instant I received a Telegram from the Secretary of State telling me that Your Excellency's proposals had been approved, and Sir ROBERT HART lost no time in placing them before the Government.
He himself appears to be in favour of the first suggestion, which I gather from your despatch is the one which on the whole the Colonial Government would also prefer, namely, the erection and maintenance of the Lighthouse by the Government of Hongkong, on the condition of the occupation of the Rock being sanctioned in return for a nominal "Royalty" as an acknowledgement of China's Sovereignty over the soil.
Directly I am made acquainted with the views of the Chinese Government I shall have the honour of bringing them to Your Excellency's knowledge.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,
His Excellency
THE GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
(3.)
No. 30/G.
SIR,
His Excellency
No. 12.
JOHN WALSHAM.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 22nd March, 1888.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 9th instant, bearing upon the question of the erection of a Lighthouse on Gup Rock, and I desire at the same time to convey to you the thanks of this Govern- ment for the trouble you are taking in the matter.
I have &c.,
SIR JOHN WALSHAM, Bart.,
H.B.M. Minister,
Enclosure.
(See No. 1.)
$.c..
&c..
&C PEKING.
(4.)
G. WILLIAM DES VŒUX,
Governor.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 16th January, 1888.
SIR,
Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of a proposed Lighthouse for the guidance of vessels approaching Hongkong from the Southward, I have the honour to forward to you copy of a letter which I have addressed to Sir JOHN WALSHAM, Her Majesty's Minister at Peking; and, with a view to save if possible the delay of another year in the commencement of a work of pressing importance to the Colony and in favour of which there is a very strong and unanimous public opinion. I would earnestly request that if you see no objection to the alternative proposals contained in the letter, you will be good enough to cause the approval of Her Majesty's Government to be communicated to Sir JOHN WALSHAM by telegraph.
2. After much correspondence and discussion on the subject of this Light- house, and in view of the fact that the proposals of Sir ROBERT HART referred to in