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importance of which port as our principal naval base in the Far
East cannot be doubted.
4. The sale or lease of mining rights in the Colony
appears to need specially careful consideration, as if mining
operations were to be permitted near the batteries of the
defence there would always be a risk of accident or deliberate
damage by ill-disposed persons.
5.
The Council are aware that our position in Hong Kong
is assured till 1921 by the Anglo-Japanese Treaty; but by that
time, if the unrestricted sale of land be allowed to continue,
a hostile Power, in the event of war, might conceivably be in
a position to put our batteries out of action before a shot had
been fired.
If a foreign company is allowed to conduct mining
operations in the Colony, it will be very difficult to prevent
them from obtaining a practically unlimited supply of explosives,
and the storage of smuggled arms with a view to an organised
rising of disaffected inhabitants would be much facilitated.
6. The Council suggest, for the consideration of Mr.
Secretary Harcourt, the advisability of introducing legislation
with a view to giving His Excellency the Governor power to
prevent any sale or lease of private land, or the construction
of any works or buildings, if in his opinion, as advised by
the naval and military commanders, the safety of the defences
would be imperilled by such sale or lease, or by such
construction.
The Council also consider that legislation should be
introduced enabling the Governor to acquire, or resume
possession of, any land at short notice in case of emergency.
In