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The course to be taken with regard to Naval efficiency is to concentrate their Establishments at Kowloon and they have accordingly written to the War Office, and requested the Commander in Chief to communicate with the Governor, regarding the land that would be required in order to afford them sufficient space at that place, and have further directed him to ascertain from His Excellency what sum the Colony would offer for Admiralty land and buildings at Victoria.
The arrangement above mentioned if carried out would enable the Colonial Authorities to avoid the great inconvenience caused by the existence of the Dockyard and pointed out in paragraph 2 of your letter, and to complete the Praya as originally intended.
Their Lordships desire me to express a hope, therefore, that Lord Stansfeld will assist them with the Colonial Authorities in arranging to carry out the proposed changes.