Immediate expenditure on works of defence,
In addition to the special expenditure on works of defence, the financial resources of the Colony have been still subject to great strain, in order to complete the Sanitary and water works which are necessary both for the military as for the civil population, and further on account of heavy unlooked for expenditure caused by the outbreak of the plague in 1894, they were again affected by a second outbreak last year.
3. M. Chamberlain thinks that any further expenditure on the part of the Colony for the Barracks, which is now being incurred, must be postponed in view of the inauguration of a pension finding scheme, as proposed also in the case of the Straits Settlements, as mentioned in the letter from the Dept last November.
4. Before communicating with the Governor of Hongkong in regard to the new Works and alterations of existing Works required in connection with the new armament proposed, M. Chamberlain would be glad to receive more detailed information as to the new sites (if any) that will be required, and the estimated cost.