W.L. 3546/1901.
2 Enclosures.
Sir,
C.O. 56 34346
RECE
151, Cannon Street, OCT OF
London, E.C.
11th September 1901.
ents
H.M. Naval Yard Extension
Hong Kong.
We have to bring to your notice the great difficulties and restrictions under which the supply of stone for these Works is being obtained, and which are such as will seriously prejudice and delay the carrying out of the Contract.
Notwithstanding the existence of unlimited deposits of granite, hardly as yet touched, the system of quarry farming which gives an absolute monopoly to the farmer for the year of his tenure renders it impossible, as we have found, to obtain anything like adequate supplies.
The quarry farmer for this year, Chan A King, absolutely refused even to give us a price for our requirements.
We were then forced to arrange for most of our supplies from a range of quarries at Lyemoon on the new territory.
These quarries, which have been worked for generations by native communities, are outside the limits of the quarry farm and have paid a special annual royalty to the Colonial Treasury. We had made satisfactory arrangements
The Civil Engineer in Chief
(Works Loan)
ADMIRALTY,
47, Victoria Street,
Westminster, S.W.
arrangements