Board
of
Trade
E.L. B
reign
Mice
of a few sheds; and what he has
designated as an
Hotel and Billiard
Room was a small boarded shed:
that buildings of
am not aware
more substantial nature have ever
been
erected there, or that
any ships
have anchored there save the Opium
Receiving Ships, and those Clippers
that supplied them with Opium,
and remained only
as long
as necessary to discharge the quantity to be delivered there.
The buildings mentioned by Mr
Matheson as having
been abandoned
were in the hands of the private proprietor when he gave his testimony
The house of Mr Mercer was deemed so unhealthy that no person could
291
be induced to reside in it, Mr Mercer and several others having died from fever supposed to have been contracted there.
Mr Matheson states that he
had a serious consultation about
abandoning his property at Hong Kong
and removing from the Colony.
At the time when he gave this evidence
there was
a magnificent dwelling house, costing about $50,000, since completed on the ground.
of which he speaks, this would
appear incompatible with contemplated abandonment of it.
Mr Matheson states that each Farmer
keeps up a preventive service more expensive than the Government rent.
There are three Farmers, the Opium Farmer,
the