III.
Proceeding in the third place to the sands provisionally disposed of by Sir Harry Pottinger, we may observe that he appears to have carefully rendered his transactions subject to the decision of Her Majesty's Government, and that there is the less reason to hesitate in pointing out any cases in which general experience would suggest some modification of his course.
We see that Lands were granted in two or three instances, one of them, if we are not mistaken, for the erection of Bazaars, and for the construction of a Patent Slip. One inconvenience of Grants on these kinds of conditions is the difficulties that are apt to arise as to their execution, which has already been exemplified in some of the cases at Hong Kong. And since few things could be more profitable to the Individuals themselves than undertakings of this nature, there is no reason why they should have a gratuitous gift of the Public Lands besides. We should think therefore that the Lots granted for the above purpose should be confirmed subject to the same Payments as other Lands of the same category.
With respect to Grants to Public Institutions great caution will probably be desirable, but we should see no objection to the proposed Grants to a Hospital, and some Schools, provided the Institutions be really effective and substantial.