Confidential.
His Excellency,
The Officer Administering the Government,
Hongkong.
Sir,
Head Quarter Office,
11th February, 1904.
I have the honour to state in answer to Your Excellency's letter of the 9th February, 1904, relative to the organisation of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps that seeing the urgency of having the matter settled at once and taking into consideration the spirit of the remarks of the Colonial Defence Committee dated March 16th, 1903, based on the suggestions of the Local Defence Committee I entirely concur in Major Fritchard's proposals and consider that they should be given effect to at once.
I have etc.,
(sd.) V. Hatton,
Major-General,
Commanding Troops South China.
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