Extract of a letter from Vice-Admiral James Hope, C. B., Commander-in-Chief, to the Secretary of the Admiralty dated the 22nd May 1860.
(Signed) J. M. M. Ashby, Secretary
I have no hesitation in stating to their Lordships that: notwithstanding the recent acquisition of the Kowloon Peninsula I do not think it desirable to transfer the Dockyard to that side, for which my reasons are as follows.
1st As a matter of defence I consider it a sound principle and one not lightly to be departed from, that all the Public Establishments should as at present be