COPY. No. 69/3.
Sir,
ENCLOSURE &
C.0.
10845
Government House,
JUN CI
Hongkong, 15th. April, 1901.-
80
I have the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of your letters No. 1811/1-X of the 19th. January last and No. 1811/1-Y of the 25th. January last.
I regret that I am unable to give the permission sought by your letter of the 25th. January to erect huts on certain sites indicated and to construct reservoirs in certain localities.
The attitude of this Government was de- fined in my letter No. 34/3 of the 31st. July, 1900, more parti- cularly in the last paragraph.
The opening paragraph of your letter of the 19th. January in which you state that it is proposed to ask the Under Secretary of State for Tar to create a Military Reserve over certain land appears to me to show a misconception of the functions of the Under. Secretary of State for War and to ignore the fact that no Military Reserve can be created except by this Government acting under instructions from the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Adverting to paragraph 2 of your letter No. 1911/1-T of 13th. September, 1900, to which I replied by my as yet unanswered letter 88/3 of 24th. September, 1900, I am informed that the decision of the Land Court with reference to the title to the greater portions of the land desired to be acquired by the War Department on and about Devil's Peak will be delivered in a few weeks' time.
His Excellency
The General Officer Commanding.
I have etc., (sd.) H.. A.. Blake,
Governor, etc.