Confidential (
Lui
head Quarters (auton) March 6th 1860.
375
To His Excellency -
W. J. Bence CA
Various circumstances have delayed my replying to Your Excellency's letter of the 17th Febs Who, and among them my desire to take no step until the arrival of Quintin ha[r]dly k[n]ows fr[a]nts, but I must no longer defer doing so, and understand that in all probability the troops will not leave India until the preparations for the departure of the troops for China are nearly completed.
Your Excellency informs me that Her Majesty's Government is desirous of obtaining a portion of that part of the Kowloon Peninsula which is considered necessary for the Security of the Harbour of Hong Kong, &c., and that it would be a step favourable here if it were occupied, and that the name being shortly ascertained would be a sufficient pretext for postponing a temporary occupation.
Also, should such a measure be advisable, it was often politically done with no objection.