House Rent and Office Rent, - that the amount of those allowances should be recovered monthly from their Abstracts, and that the balance of the Rent of Mr. Lane's House should be advanced monthly from the Civil Treasury until the pleasure of Her Majesty's Government on the matter should be received.
It is perhaps as well I should add that admitting that the House at present in Lord Saltoun's occupation be permanently assigned as the residence of the General Officer Commanding, it seems to me advisable that it should be taken down to admit of the Hill on which it is built being "cut down, and that therefore any steps for repairing it as it now stands would I conceive be a useless expense.
The House in question was one of the earliest erected in the Colony at a moment when the retention of this Island by Her Majesty was a matter of doubt and I do not think that the House could be altered or repaired (except by rebuilding) to form a suitable residence for the General Officer Commanding with his personal staff.
(Signed) Henry Pottinger.
Vincent Stanton, Esqr
Victoria, Hongkong
25 January, 1844.
Sir,
I am directed by His Excellency the Governor in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date.