This contrary 6 have Rivvery litterafs aught Sathead that the War office hould complain two when on to least provocation & he ought cardiff & have been 6 Amore clipart & annos September Cast. home & as au cerpatch of Call a in Jern hum Price who knows she chat the matter for whore Comming con wo Letter W last Sumner, is Praw I belive really his Lames. asaz Vout Herbert Commet his also b Gut March 16. Mi there papers then Muir Meade day before yesterday and asked eno thum to read in connection with the pappage in the Hongkong Gazette of 27 July 1878 and 23 November 1878 marked in the accompanying volume of Gazettes. He said he would speak to me on the subject later.
All that those passages appear to me particularly to show is (1) that the Chinese were desirous to economise building space (2) that their dwellings are densely inhabited by humans and animals and are very foul to the European nose.
The suggestion made in the latter part of Mr de Robeck's minute of 13th Feb still appears to me to be the proper one taken on this letter.
I understand from Mr de Robeck that it was at first proposed to build houses for Europeans on the land ceded to the Colony by the W.O. but that the demand for houses for Europeans having abated in consequence of the depression of European trade and a demand for houses for Chinese having sprung up, it has now been proposed to build houses for Chinese on this property.
In Feb 1879 we received a letter from the W.O. enclosing a copy of the General's letter in which he strongly protested against any building or cultivation if the barracks were to continue to be occupied by the troops, and the W.O. said that if at the time of the transfer they had been aware of the strong sanitary objections to building or cultivation they would never have consented to it. This letter was sent out to the Governor in a despatch dated 30 September awaiting reply. I scarcely suppose that the Governor will commit ... to which we are ...