Telegram reply,
Wait for his reply.
See 3861.
30/1
In any further communication on this subject, please quote
131
and address letter to-
The Secretary,
Admiralty, Whitehall,
London, S.W.
Admiralty,
28 January 1901.
Drawing 2440
Sir,
I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, that it is urgently necessary to provide further Coal Storage for H.M. Ships
in the vicinity of Hong Kong.
After considering various schemes, My Lords have
decided that on the whole the best plan will be to extend the present Depôt at the Kowloon Naval Yard, and for this
purpose, it is desired to purchase the property known as the
Briquette Factory, Marine Lot No.35, situate to the North
of the present Naval Yard, in order to erect Coal Sheds thereon with a Coaling Pier alongside.
The position of this property is shown on the
attached Plan, the area being stated as 246,670 superficial
feet. The owners of the property on being asked to name a
price at first refused to sell, but they have now offered it for $3.50 per square foot, which would mean a total of
$863,345 or say £86,334 sterling.
This, My Lords consider, is an exorbitant price,
and under the circumstances I am to ask whether, if the
necessary funds are provided, the Secretary of State would
be so good as to afford Their Lordships his assistance in
the matter of acquiring this property on easier terms, either
Under Secretary of State,
COLONIAL OFFICE,
Whitehall, S.W.
Page 10