No.
Hongkong.
344.
C.0
36010
419 OCT
Government House,
Hongkong, 19th September, 1904.
526
34961
OL
Sir,
Admy 15767
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 210 dated the 8th July, 1904, on the subject of the tenure of certain lands that have been transferred to the Admiralty by this Government.
2.
With regard to Kowloon Marine Lot No. 35, I find that in letters addressed on March 21st and April 7th, 1902, by Major-General Sir W. J. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G., then Administering the Government, to the Commodore, the extinction of the Colony's interest in the Crown Rents by the payment of a sum arrived at by capitalising this rent at 25 years' purchase, was stated to make the area the absolute property of the Admiralty. This was reported to Mr. Chamberlain in the Despatch of the 16th July referred to in yours now under reply. I find also that in various other cases in which lease-holders have been bought out to enable lands to be utilised by the Naval or Military Authorities, the Colony's interest in the Crown Rent has been commuted for a payment of that rent capitalised at 25 years' purchase without respect to the nature of the tenure of the former lease-holder.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,
200.1
&C...
3.