160
be shown that the value of the light to Chinese shipping is out
of all proportion to the nominal amount which the Chinese
Authorities contribute towards its upkeep.
I have not broached in any quarter the suggestion for the
cession of Gap Rock to the Colony for, as I have already stated,
I an convinced that in the present temper of the Chinese it
would not be entertained.
In these circumstances I should be glad to learn whether Your Excellency has any further considerations to urge in favour
of an increased annual contribution from the Chinese Government
or whether you would wish me to approach them with a formal request for a special grant towards the cost of renewing the lantern apparatus which Mr. Aglen states he is prepared to
recommend.
(Signed)
I have &c.,
J.N. Jordan.
My dear Sir John:- Race 76 007 12
PEKIN G.
21st September, 1912.
Your letter of 1st August concerning the
Chinese Government's contribution towards the cost of
maintaining the Gap Rock Lighthouse was handed to me
on my return from Peitaiho at the end of the month,
and I regret that my absence and the necessity of
obtaining some information have prevented me from reply-
ing before.
I have no record of the negotiations that
preceded the conclusion of the 1888 arrangement referred
to by you, us all Inspectorate archives were destroyed in
1900, but, from what I can gather from the correspon-
dence with the Kowloon Customs at the time, there was
never any intention that the Chinese Government's con-
tribution towards either the first cost or the mainten-
盏
sum.
ance of this light shoula be other than a purely nominal
The Hongkong Government assumed full responsibility
for both construction and maintenance, and, though it is
true the cost of both largely exceeded the estimates,
there