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HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S CONSULATE,
AMOY.
May 15th, 1899,
Sir:-
I have the honour to state that the Taotai of Amoy has requested me to forward to His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong the enclosed letter which was sent to me under flying seal.
He asks that His Excellency will be so good as to detach an English officer to advise on the best localities for erecting forts on the island of Kulangsu.
I hold the opinion, which is common to all European residents here, that the erection of a fort on Kulangsu would be very objectionable; in that it would convert a locality which has long been appropriated by Europeans for residential purposes into a place d'armes; it would then become exposed in the event of hostilities between China and a Foreign Power to the risk of bombardment;
on the contrary as long as it remains unfortified, no European Power would dream of attacking it as being the residence of a cosmopolitan community;
further...
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Hongkong.