8, Billiter Square,
London, E.C.,
8th October, 1901.
05233
624
1
38722
00
Sir,
REGECT
We have the honour to refer to your letter dated
5th January, 1901, in which you informed us that Mr.
Secretary Chamberlain was prepared to agree that, subject
to the concurrence of the Governor of Hong Kong, the lease
to our firm of Quarry Bay Marine Lot No. 2, Extension,
should be for a period of nine hundred and ninety-nine
years, on condition that the land is used for a Dry Dock.
Being dissatisfied with the local reports on the
nature of the Ground received from Hongkong early in
the current year, we dispatched a special Engineer
who has great experience of Dry Dock designing and
building on the most modern system, to advise us
whether the site for the proposed Dry Dock was in all
respects suitable or not.
This Engineer's investigations show that, owing
to the nature of the ground, a Dry Dock could not be
constructed on Marine Lot No. 2 and its Extension
except at a cost which would render the undertaking
C.P.Lucas, Esq: C.B.,
Under Secretary of State
for the Colonies.