Could the present session of Parliament admit of detailed Estimates being prepared under the above subjects, but their Lordships are nevertheless of opinion that, as a matter of principle, Parliament should be moved on account sufficient, to grant a Sum calculated, to cover nearly as can be estimated, the Expenditure which will be incurred from the date when the Treaty was signed until the end of the year 1843/4.
As soon as the necessary information shall have been obtained from Sir H. Pottinger, their Lordships will be prepared to consider in communication with the Secretaries of State, the details of the Establishment for the Superintendent of the Trade and for the Civil administration of the Island of Hong Kong, and to furnish instructions for the guidance of the Officers who will be intrusted with the duty of receiving, disbursing and accounting for the Public Monies.
The Question of deciding and declaring in what manner and under what Regulations the Trade with Hong Kong shall be carried on in future, will be a subject for consideration after the ratification of the Treaty, and it appears to their Lordships that in any arrangement which may be made upon this subject, it would be desirable that measures should be adopted for the purpose of raising Revenue from local Sources sufficient to defray the necessary Charges of the Civil Government of the Island, and they would suggest that Sir H. Pottinger should be instructed to report fully on the subject, and that his attention should be directed in the consideration of it to the means which are adopted for the purpose of raising a Revenue at the neighbouring Free Port of Singapore.
Their Lordships also request that they may be furnished with detailed information respecting the nature of the landed tenures in the Island of Hong Kong, the extent of the rights possessed by the Government in the land, the extent to which land has been already disposed of, and the tenure under which it is held.