10
the balance required to complete that accommodation should be divided as follows :---- One-third against Colonial and two-thirds against Imperial revenues, being about the proportions in which the capital expenditure on defences has been shared, the colony in addition providing the necessary sites for the barracks.
35. The Committee consider that when land is required for colonial military purposes, it should be provided by the colony, and save, in very exceptional circumstances, this should be done free of charge to the Imperial Government, and that when sites assigned for military purposes cease to be, immediately or prospectively, required for such purposes, they should be surrendered to the colony.
11
14,700l, say
42 married quarters at 350l. — Head-quarter offices, at present at the commissariat buildings, to be re-provided elsewhere, probably at Scandal Point, say
£ 15,000
5,000
8,000
Commissariat establishment, at present at commissariat buildings, to be re-provided elsewhere, say
Provost prison for 18 prisoners, at present at North Barracks, to be re-provided elsewhere, perhaps at Kowloon, as part of the proposed military prison, say
445
Hong Kong
2
4173
Sir,
War Office to Treasury.
War Office,
9th January 1889.
With reference to the sum of 350,000l provided in the Imperial Defence Act, 1888, for barracks at coaling stations, in aid of the sums to be contributed by the colonies, and also of the proceeds of the sale of lands belonging to the Government at the various stations, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, that at Hong Kong there is much property which is held by the War Department in the town of Victoria, which is very valuable, and also that as the place is rapidly increasing, and building sites are very restricted, the Colonial authorities are anxious that the War Department should consent to sell as much of their property as can be spared from military requirements.
The proposed disposition of the increased garrison will admit of this being done to a limited extent, and though a certain amount of accommodation will be lost thereby, the land is so valuable that the proceeds of the sales will far more than suffice to re-provide that accommodation, thus leaving a substantial balance to go towards erecting the additional accommodation required for the increased garrison.
It is, therefore, proposed to sell the following properties situated in the town of Victoria, viz. :-
Dollars.£ * Spring Gardens, for Chinese dwellings. 41,652 feet, at 2 dollars per foot83,30413,537 East married quarters, for Chinese dwellings. Front, 18,000 feet, at 4 dollars per foot72,00011,700 East married quarters, for Chinese dwellings. Half of back, 60,000 feet, at 2 dollars per foot120,00019,500 North Barracks, for Europeans. 162,400 feet, at 2·50 dollars per foot406,00065,975 Commissariat buildings, for Europeans. 47,746 feet, at 2 dollars per foot95,49215,517 Total776,796126,229The above calculations are based on the assumption that 3s. 3d. is the value of a dollar.
The accommodation thus lost, which will have to be re-provided, will be as follows:
Spring Gardens
(Approximately.)
5,000
Barracks for one battery Royal Artillery, at present at North Barracks, to be re-provided elsewhere; half at Stonecutter's Island and half at Lymoon, say
10,000
Alterations and re-appropriations in Victoria, especially in Wellington Barracks, consequent on the above moves, say
3,000
4,600
Total
50,600
Add 10 per cent. contingencies
Assets from sale of War Department property
Re-provisions
Net profit
Say
126,229
50,600
75,629
75,000
I am, therefore, to solicit their Lordships' sanction for the proposed sales being effected.
I am to observe that the valuations and estimates submitted are merely approximate; but that, as regards the valuations, letters received from the station show that the Colonial authorities are prepared to look upon the sale to them of a portion of North Barracks at 3 dollars per foot somewhat as a favour, which, coupled with the prices which the War Department had to pay a few years ago for land in Victoria, affords fair grounds for believing that the valuations are not too high.
With regard to the estimates, I am to observe that it is believed that they are fairly liberal, but that it would be premature to work them out in detail until a general approval of the scheme be obtained from their Lordships.
I am to add that, on this being received, steps will be taken to lay before their Lordships, as soon as possible, a more detailed financial statement of the operation; but that now submitted is sufficient to show that there will be a very large profit, and consequently Mr. Secretary Stanhope solicits, with confidence, their Lordships' sanction to the scheme in principle.
The Secretary to the Treasury.
Sir,
I have, &c.,
R. H. KNOX.
Treasury to War Office.
Treasury Chambers,
12 married quarters.
East married quarters
12
West married quarters adjoining, and part of, North Barracks
18
Total
42
From information since received from the station these estimates will need revision,
28th September 1889.
I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to forward, for the information of the Secretary of State, and with reference to Mr. Knox's letters of 6th August 1888, and 9th January 1889, a copy of a letter on the amount to be provided by the colony of Hong Kong, in aid of its military expenditure.
I am to say that my Lords have difficulty in reconciling the extracts given in the memorandum of the Inspector-General of Fortifications (Appendix D to the IVth Section of the Report of the Committee on Colonial Military Contributions) with the proposal made in Mr. Knox's letter of 9th January, respecting the sale of land in the town of Victoria.
Sir Lothian Nicholson contemplated the sale of the North Barracks, including provost prison, and west married quarters.
He thought that the North Barracks, owing to their position and large extent of water frontage, would be worth a considerable sum
40248
157