avoided has the Military Cantonment been kept where it was originally established, at West Point, than which no finer site exists on the whole face of Hong Kong; it is unnecessary to detail the reasons which caused the abandonment of that site, and I merely allude to it now with a view to the prevention of similar mistake at Kowloon.
If the Civil Community is to be accommodated in Kowloon, it must of necessity, under the proposed arrangements of the Commanding Royal Engineer, be intimately connected with the Military, and in addition, the latter will be under the contaminating influence of a Chinese Town, (for such must be established to supply the wants of the Troops alone, and that Town will, I conceive, have to be under Civil Control.)
The position of the Chinese Town, Market, is yet to be determined, if any be permitted at all. It should be within an easy walk of the Barracks and principal stores without interfering with the development of the latter, near the water and not too far from Victoria. A portion of the Bay between ⋆ and ⋆ affords these advantages better than any other spot.
At present Kowloon comprises nine villages and upwards of 7000 Inhabitants, and I'm presume there is no intention to cause the removal either of the original occupiers of the soil, or those employed in trade, to effect the one or the other a no inconsiderable amount of Money will be requisite, thus if a Civil Community is to be in Kowloon, and a Chinese Town is necessary, I consider it to be a wise