Correspondence that certain Sir John Browning
main points connected with this question have been
to Secretary of state JP/2/5 stlus 5/57.
Mr. Enclosure
John Bowring
definitely settled by Sir John with Majesty's Government. I
all
has been admitted on all sides that this place is not capable of being converted
into
a
first class fortress
adapted for resisting a
hostile
expedition of any magnitude, and it has been laid down
that under ordinary
Circumstances the
of the
guardianship of
the Colony
by Mr. Hawes to Mr Merivale
War Office
would doubtless be the
mission
57
the Navy; but
it has also been pointed out
that the wide range of
the Naval duties
extent
of
over
the
the China seas,
more particularly in time of war, might constantly interfere with the maintenance at Hongkong of a large sufficient Naval Force for
the complete protection of
the Colony and that therefore without reference Hongkong
18. 187. its inhabitants and all the