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to the Military as thriving Chinese villages would spring up in their Near with all their concomitant evils. But if the Peninsula be rendered valueless to the Colony by the Military occupying the only part suited to commerce, it will not produce sufficient to defray even the Current revenue expenses of the Civil Government of it, and it would not be fair to expect this Colony to tax itself to purchase claims which can never be made reproductive simply because the regranting of them might be undesirable in a Military point of view.
Upon this question of the proprietary claims, however, I shall communicate with your Grace more fully when the joint Commission of English and Chinese officials now sitting shall have concluded their labours.
I have the honor to be, My Lord Duke, your Grace's, Most obedient servant, Geo. Bonham