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undertaken, either in the erection of buildings, or otherwise, His Excellency has directed me to examine the ground and furnish him with a Plan shewing the Roads I advise, the appropriation of the area, and a report upon the whole for his Consideration.
I have accordingly the honor to forward the Plan in accordance with His Excellency's directions and report thereon as follows.
The Peninsula of irregular form and surface comprises up to the boundary as now defined an area of 1774 acres, Consisting of about 317¼ acres of cultivated, flat ground, with Sandy soil and the remainder dry land of the district rising therefrom in every imaginable form of hill and hillock, connected by long narrow ridges ranging in heights, varying from 20 ft to 400 ft above the mean sea level.
I may premise that, the acquisition of Kowloon and the benefits which must arise to the Colony by its occupation are incalculable, not only in regard to Mercantile interests but for Sanatory objects both for the Navy and army, as well as for the Community at large.
It is well known that, the difficulties and expense to which Merchants are subjected by the want of area sufficient for the storage of bulky cargoes is very considerable, and no unimportant item in charges thereon. Hongkong has arisen in a few years into a place of great importance, and it is only now prevented from becoming of much greater consequence from actual inability of extension,