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the zero of the soundings being referred to Mean Sea Level. I should be much obliged if a set of such charts could be supplied to me.
3. A complete new Survey of the Harbour is required alike for the purpose of accurately ascertaining what has been the extent and nature of deposit in the past and for deciding the nature of the dredging operations which will be necessary if Hongkong is to remain a Harbour for a large number of deep draught vessels. From the correspondence enclosed in Sir Henry Blake's Despatch above referred to, it appears that the Admiralty declined to undertake this resurvey and that the reason for their so declining was that it was required in connection with the deepening of the Harbour to meet the necessities of the Mercantile Marine and not to assist the navigation of His Majesty's Ships for which the existing charts were sufficient. In view of the new and serious facts disclosed by Mr. Boulton's Report which show that it is only a matter of time for the Harbour to cease to be fitted alike for the use of His Majesty's Ships or for those of the Mercantile Marine the Admiralty may be disposed to reconsider the above decision and in any event I should like to be informed of the probable cost of a complete resurvey so as to be able to judge whether this Colony could make provision in the year 1906 for any appreciable proportion of the necessary expenditure.
4. The serious facts above alluded to will be appreciated from an examination of the small charts 'D' and 'I' and a perusal of paragraphs 31 to 38 of the Report. If in