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on the 31st August last. That two of the Temporary Barracks on Artillery Hill, at this Post, occupied by the Hongkong Rifles, were so much damaged as to be quite unserviceable " in consequence of which the accommodation " has been reduced to 35 Natives or 26 Europeans.
And my former report dated 25 November last, to the Inspector General of Fortifications (a copy of which accompanies the correspondence which you have submitted to me in your letter) after reporting the special estimates approved by The Major General for the Post of Victoria alone - I concluded with observations on the Barracks at Stanley exclusively. There is however a much more important mistake in Mr Byhane's Letter of 7th March to Hellerivale Esq., Downing Street, respecting the Barracks at Stanley, which I feel it my duty to notice. In the 4th Paragraph of that Letter it is stated that there is Permanent accommodation for 3 Field Officers, 18 Officers, 187 men, but not for 510 Non Commissioned Officers and Men, for whom buildings have been hired from time to time, at one period for 510, but latterly for 187.
In the return of Barrack accommodation sent from this Office with the Barrack Annual Estimate for 1847-48, it is stated that there is Barrack accommodation for Field officers 2, officers 18 : Non Commissioned Officers & Privates None; this was made out and transmitted to England some months before I came to this Station, and I can only account for the fact that the return was made out in such a manner, as we were then living in temporary Buildings built of mud with Brick Piers of a very inferior description, and not in regular Barracks; but no buildings were hired at Stanley for Barracks, as there are no Private Buildings at that Station fit for this purpose.
In the return which accompanied my Barrack Annual Estimate for 1848-49,