16
probably moreover be found the most convenient natural frontier,
which can be fixed as the northern frontier of the leased area.
2. That the Chinese officials should evacuate the town
of Kowloon. The administrative and other disadvantages of
Chinese jurisdiction being exercised over a town at the back-
gate of Hong Kong have been repeatedly brought to notice, and
were laid much stress on in paragraph 3 of the Colonial Defence
Committee's Memorandum No.85 M. of the 10th November 1896.
3. That the leased area should be extended to the south
to include Gap Rock Island, on which the lighthouse to the
western approach is situated. This would secure to us the
islands of Lema, whose occupation by another Power would be
extremely undesirable, and remove the danger that exists at
present of the light at Gap Rock being extinguished to our
injury. The annexation of Gap Rock Island was recommended by
the General Officer Commanding at Hong Kong in 1894, by the
Joint Naval and Military Committee on Defence in their Report
XVII of the 18th May 1895 and by the Colonial Defence Committee
in their recent Memorandum No.139 M. dated 28th April 1898.
§
4.