356
of the measure,
and as to the
fitness of the sites which were chosen. Such being the
case, it is to be
borne in mind that the construction
of
some suitable batteries for the protection of the Harbor of Hong Kong has long been contemplated, and that according to all precedent up to the present time
the expense have been defrayed
as a matter
of course
by the Imperial Government. The Works have been
erected
on
527
lands
which, for this very
purpose, have been set aside as
Military Reserves,
and it would be
manifestly inconvenient
that the Batteries created on them should be Colonial, whilst the ground is Imperial property.
The Duke of Newcastle is decidedly
of opinion, as your
Lordship
is aware,
that the Colony of
Hong Kong
should contribute towards
its military defence,
and with this view the annual sum
of
DE