14
120
of the Parliamentary Branch, the
sums voted were
insignificant
or less than half of brought
half of what
Divenne
21.
compared with the tunium-derived by Great Britain and devia from the China Trade, for the encouragement of which, as I have said before, the Colony of Hongkong was established
20.
Earl Grey, when Secretary
for the Colonies (Despatch No.74 of 30th February 1849) distinctly absolved the Colony from all responsibility for the sums expended for it previously to 1st April 1848; and since then the sums granted have amounted only to £130,900,
what is now
urged
against it.
We
now turn to the second principal question which I have proposed. Is this Military contribution warranted by the financial condition of the Colony?
22.
Our estimated Surplus at the present moment is a little over 440,000 Dollars while the Surveyor General has handed me the enclosed Memorandum on the works in progress and under contemplation; it will be seen that they amounting