Mr. Faviclough,
8/1 ref item (208), reply not reid,
Starling
17/3
Wait another week.
Marichane
18/3/58
Page 29
Page of 2030. (chore kon) = camps - T.S.
TRANS. TO. FEO 508/400/0 b
6.
16/Abroad) 4071 (ED).
\> Page 3 of 283
Mr. Wallace
Walla
The letter at (215) does not require immediate action. It is a commentary on our letter at (211), and will no doubt be considered by the meeting which the Treasury will call in due
course.
2.
3.
In summary what it amounts to is this:-
(1) The War Office make no claim to the two properties at (c) and (d) in paragraph 3 of our letter at (211). They are Admiralty property, which can only be considered in the presence of Admiralty representatives
(ii) The two lots with which the War Office are
concerned are War Department Lot 5 North and War Department Lot 5 South. As regards the latter (Wellington Barracks) the War Department claim that they have been in possession since 1842, that whilst they have no title deeds their long occupancy gives them a recognizable title, which is the same as the title claim for the Murray Barracks area.
1
As regards War Department Lot 5 North, this was reclaimed by the Royal Navy and granted to the War Department in exchange for certain lands which are now incorporated in the dockyard, plus a sum of £33,000. The War Office implicitly concedes that no written title exists, and they claim that their title to it should be considered as an extension of the Wellington Barracks area.
(iii) The value of this land they put at £3 million, and
they hope to negotiate a settlement similar to that which they negotiated for the Murray Barracks. It appears that the War Office could use the Wellington Barracks area, but they are not precise as to what their requirements will be in Hong Kong if they decide to sell the land to the Hong Kong Government.
(iv) They wish to deal separately with the lands question
and the defence contribution.
We still have not had a reply to our telegram at (208), and it is probably a little too early yet to send a reminder. I think that at present we should merely note the situation, but that when we have notice from the Treasury of the meeting which they will call we should make sure we have by the time of the meeting had some information from Hong Kong on the lands. In my mind it is a little disturbing if it is not possible to distinguish between the Wellington Barracks area and the Murray Barracks area.
Шатани
(A. Campbell) 19th March, 1958