21/02/0.5.0.
Colonial Secretary's Office
31st January 1903.
463
Sir,
In reply to your letter No. 2245/3K of the 31st ult. forwarding plan of an area of land - 15a. 2r. 17p. in extent - at Stonecutters, which the War Dept. desire to acquire for an extension in connection with the R.A. Barracks on that Island, and enquiring what value the Colonial Govt. places on the land, I am directed to state that under existing conditions the land is only of nominal value and that His Excellency the Governor is prepared to recommend to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that it be transferred to the War Dept. free of charge on the sole stipulation that if the Island is ever abandoned in connection with Defence purposes by the War Dept. the land is to revert to the Colonial Govt. free of all charge, and on condition that the War Dept. will in return transfer to the Colonial Govt. an area of land which may form a reasonable exchange and has become valueless to the War Dept. for defence purposes.
2. With regard to the 4th para. of your letter I am to state that it is not understood what authoritative declaration is referred to, and to invite your attention to Ordinance No. 11 of 1899 regulating Stonecutters Island. I am to add that while the Colonial Govt. is fully alive to the necessity of scrupulously preventing the access of unauthorised persons to the Island, it is not prepared to modify the terms of that Ordinance.
Col. L. F. Brown
Commanding Royal Engineer
Misc.