W.L.880/99.
War Office,
London, S.W.
2nd March 1899.
Sir,
With reference to your letter dated 17th February 1899, W.L./98/541, requesting by desire of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty information in regard to the course adopted in respect of property subject to a Crown Rent acquired by the War Department at Hong Kong:
I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acquaint you for their Lordships' information, that in 1894 a plot of land at that station which was subject to a Crown rent, was bought by this Department and it was claimed that, as the property had passed into the hands of the War Department, it should no longer be liable to the Colonial Authorities for the payment of this rent; reference being at the same time made to the withdrawal of the claim for Crown rent of the property referred to in War Office letter dated the 29th November 1898, Hong Kong 6/32, quoted by you.
2. To this the Colonial Office objected, on the ground that the land in question was leasehold only, and that, in the event of its being disposed of by this Department, the purchasers would be required to pay the rent to the Colonial Government; but they suggested that the annual payments should not be paid in cash, but should be entered to the credit of the Colony in the special account referred to in the Colonial Office Circulars of 9th June 1880 and 30th December 1894, relating to the disposal of Colonial Military Lands and buildings no longer required for defence purposes.
The Secretary,
Admiralty, Hong Kong B/t
As the property was required permanently by this Department...
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