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this site, recent investigations lead to the conclusion that the cause is prevalence of mosquitoes in the paddy and undrained hol- lows; a preventable cause.
I have etc., (sa.) R. P. Littledals,
Major, R.E.
Loan Officer.
2.
Forwarded. At present I understand that there is really no Military Reserve at the Devil's Peak Peninsula i.e. there is no ground over which the Military Authorities have the right to veto the occupation of the land by buildings, or other uses which would interfere with its Military value.
The reply of the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, No. 19,252/99, dated 28th. August, 1899, in which be states that the Crown Lands Resumption Act is in force, is not sufficient, since it gives no right to the Crown to prevent the erection of buildings which will interfere with the Military uses of the ground.
Considering that the Kowloon Hinterland was acquired mainly for the better Military protection of the Colony from the North side of the Harbour, I must press for the acquisition of a Military right of veto over the ground included in the dotted red line.
The land protection of the new batteries at Devil's Peak must be effected by positions at Tui-yu-tai, Ma-fu, and Bai- Wan and the needs of the British Troops in occupation must be con- sidered before those of the Chinese occupants.
Control over the whole area is also requisite in order to prevent Malaria infection, unless the Colony will under- take the extermination of the anopheles pest.
(sa.) J.. P. Brown, Colonel,
January, 1901.
C. R.. .. in China.