Major General
Military
"The Lord Macartney K. C.B., G. C.H.
My Lord
Government House, 19th September 1843
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter No 423 of the 16th Instant with its Original Enclosure from Colonel Campbell, which is herewith returned.
I begged Mr. Woosnam to refer the question of the purchase of the Godown at the bottom of "Leighton's Hill" to Mr. Matheson, and I forward a Copy of that Gentleman's reply in which your Lordship will see that the Godown cannot be sold, but that Mr. Matheson has obligingly offered the use of it during the next three months.
As Copies of all correspondence connected with the Colony of Hongkong go to England for the information of Her Majesty's Government, I am obliged with reference to that part of Your Lordship's letter No 79, 517 to observe that I had directed a site to be selected for permanent Barracks in Happy Valley, to explain that I am not aware of the particular location to which the latter term is applicable, and that I have never used it, either in public or private correspondence.
My expression was "to Keep a Detachment permanently in that part of the Colony for the protection of the Inhabitants", and although the Dwelling Houses built to the Eastward of the "Gap" have been either for the present temporarily abandoned (or have not yet been occupied, which latter is the case with regard to the greatest number of them), yet there is no doubt but they shortly will be tenanted, and it was with a view to that being the case, that I recommended a permanent arrangement for a Barrack in the neighbourhood.
I am strongly disposed to concur with Mr. Matheson's opinion, that the tops of the Hills...