will give sufficient ground for every purpose of policy, utility and defence
The town and Fort
of Kowloong will not be interfered with.
I would certainly include Stone-cutter's Island which
is worthless except as a Harbor Boundary, and
Buildings
on
this should
be prohibited as
tending
only to complicate our
position and invite us to
extend yet further. And finally, on the subject of indemnity to
the Chinese Government for
the Surrender of this land I should say, considering that I have shown the
ground
not only worthless
to them, but an incumbrance
and a dangerous one,
that
it would be sufficient to tender the smallest sum
that would convert a
nominal into
a legal consideration.
Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong.
6th June, 1859.