by a party of Royal Engineers on Saturday
the 13th instant.
I annex a copy of Mr. Horspool's report as to what took place.
Further enquiry arising from the complaints which have reached
the Government shews
not only
very clearly that
were the washermen's sheds
on War Department land destroyed
but also those on Crown land lying to the south of the War Department Boundary, as laid down in the plan which accompanied W.O. Letter of 19th
March 1868.
It is greatly to be regretted that the Commanding Royal Engineer did not follow what His Excellency understands
were
the instructions of the Major-General Commanding that no official communications were to pass between the Civil and Military Departments except through the Military Secretary's Office, for had that officer been properly instructed, the course of action required would have been taken.
As it was, the Inspector of Police, ignorant of the limits
of the War Department Reserve,
was a witness to the destruction of the property of unoffending Chinese, which has entailed not only loss on them but great inconvenience on
the community, and visitors to the Colony.
The Administrator would suggest that an enquiry...