456
1
38
of the Admiralty, the accompanying Plan illustrative of the War Office letter of the 10th January 1890, Hong Kong 2, but I am to observe that it is very doubtful whether
4310
their Lordships' wishes can be complied with. They will, however, be borne in mind.
I am to suggest that possibly the commissariat buildings would meet their Lordships' requirements.
The Secretary to the Admiralty, S.W.
D.W.
779 1185
Sir,
I have, &c.,
H. G. DEEDES.
Admiralty to War Office.
Admiralty,
28th February 1890.
39
barrack and hospital buildings at Hong Kong, unless it be on the understanding that not less than one-half of such cost is to be borne by the colony.
Until this understanding has been arrived at, my Lords must withhold their approval of even the provisional estimate of 50,000.
My Lords would take this opportunity of correcting paragraph 10 of their letter to the Colonial Office above referred to, relating to barracks at Hong Kong. That paragraph speaks of the site of the new barracks which will have to be erected if the North Barracks are sold to the colony, as estimated to cost 50,000. But this is really Sir Lothian Nicholson's estimate of the cost of building these new barracks apart from cost of site, the presumption being that the site will be provided free by the colony. Again, that paragraph supposes that Sir A. Haliburton's Committee recommended that the Imperial Government should pay only two-thirds of 72,000, whilst in fact that Committee recommended that the Imperial Government should pay two-thirds of whatever the barracks may cost, after applying to them the proceeds of the land to be sold to the colony, such excess cost being estimated at 122,000, though it might prove to be more.
The following table shows the recommendations of the Committee more clearly, on the basis of Sir L. Nicholson's confessedly very rough estimate:--
2
4341
Hong Kong
I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acknowledge
Hong Kong 2 your letter of the 28th January 1890,
in which you say that it is 4314 very doubtful whether their Lordships' wishes that the whole of the North Barracks site should be handed over to the dockyard, can be complied with.
Taking this statement in connection with that made in your letter of the 10th January 1890, my Lords are led to the conclusion that the reason that the strip of land (coloured yellow upon the tracing forwarded with your letter of the 28th January) cannot be transferred to the Admiralty is, that it is intended to sell or transfer it to the Colonial Government.
With regard to the plot coloured green, which is suggested as a substitute for the yellow plot, my Lords are informed that this land was bought for the War Department from a private individual, who could convey no right to the foreshore, and that the Colonial Government could, by a stretch of authority, claim the land in front of this property, which may be formed by the extension of the Praya.
This land is therefore quite unsuited to Admiralty requirements, which can be satisfactorily met only by the transfer of the whole site of the North Barracks.
I am, therefore, to repeat most clearly, that if the naval yard remains at Hong Kong, the whole of the North Barracks site, including the piece coloured yellow, will be urgently required by the Admiralty, and I am to express their Lordships' strongest hope that, in dealing with the question, the interests of the Navy may not be subordinated to those of the Colonial Government.
The Under Secretary of State for War, War Office.
I am, &c.,
EVAN MACGREGOR.
Expenditure. Mode of Provision. £ Cost of erecting additional buildings 212,000 Cost of replacing North Barracks.. 50,000 Proceeds of sale of North Barracks £ 140,000 Payment by Imperial Government (two-thirds) of balance.. 81,333 Payment by colony (one-third) of balance 40,667 Total 262,000 Total 262,000My Lords have no objection to offer to the proposed application of the proceeds of barrack property towards the provision of new barracks, but they object to the apportionment of the balance of cost recommended by the Committee. That apportionment was grounded on the fact that the cost of the Hong Kong fortifications of 1884-89 has been roughly divided in like manner. But the latter division is very different from what had been originally intended, and, in my Lords' opinion, affords an unfair criterion for dividing future expenditure. As stated, therefore, in their letter to the Colonial Office, they must ask that the colony should contribute not less than one-half of the balance of cost whatever it may be.
They understand that "erection of buildings" includes first, outfit of furniture, and that all sites are to be provided for by the colony, so far as new ones have to be acquired at all.
15171
89
Treasury to War Office.
Treasury Chambers,
12th October 1889.
The Financial Secretary,
War Office.
I am, &c.,
FRANK MOWATT.
4279
Gen. No. 2 2389
Sir,
The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury desire me to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. De la Bère's letter of the 18th ultimo, respecting the estimates of barrack and hospital accommodation at coaling stations abroad, and more particularly at Hong Kong, the cost of which will be chargeable to the Imperial Defence Loan (Land).
My Lords will confine their remarks to the case of Hong Kong.
The Secretary of State for War explains that the estimate of 50,000 at this station is for certain of the more important services only, and that no complete estimate can be framed until my Lords have decided upon the sale of property proposed in Mr. Knox's letter of the 9th January last, but he hopes that my Lords will approve of the estimate as a provisional one.
My Lords request that the attention of the Secretary of State may be drawn to their letter of the 28th ultimo, in which further information was asked regarding the proposed sale of property, pending the receipt of which they must suspend their decision upon it. They would also refer to the last sentence of their letter of the same date to the Colonial Office, a copy of which accompanied the letter above mentioned, which shows that they are not prepared to sanction any estimate of the cost of erecting
Sir,
War Office to Treasury.
War Office,
15171 89
12th November 1889. respecting the estimates Hong Kong
2
With reference to your letter of the 12th ultimo,
of barrack and hospital accommodation at coaling stations abroad, and more particularly at Hong Kong, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to observe, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, that most of the questions raised therein were also brought forward in the Treasury
13191
and I am to refer to the War Office letter of this letter of the 28th September, 88
40248 day's date, in reply to that letter, in which it is shown that no estimate of the
157 proceeds of the sale of North Barracks was intended by Appendix D to Section IV.
(247)
4279