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closure 3.
enclose a statement showing the draught of the largest vessels which now visit Hongkong and the depth of water at their buoys at
low water ordinary spring tides.
4.
The stranding of the steamer "Kansas" to which Sir Paul Chater refers was due to careless navigation as the exist-
-ence of the spit in question at Kowloon Point is well known.
There is a minimum depth of water of 21 or 22 feet and the "Kansas"
deeply laden instead of approaching the wharves in the ordinary way
attempted to cross the end of the spit at low water and remained
fast until the tide rose some hours later.
5.
It is true that vessels drawing more than 27
feet can hardly leave by the Western entrance, either by Sulphur
Channel or to the North of Kellett's Bank except at or near high
water, but there is little or no hardship involved in requiring
ships of deeper draught to leave by the Eastern entrance where there is ample depth of water for any ship which is ever likely to
be constructed.
6.
-
It has been suggested from time to time that the harbour is silting up, but the investigations which have been
made during the past ten years and I would refer especially to the enclosures in Sir Matthew Nathan's Despatches No. 255 of the H16th. October, 1905, and No. 173 of the 26th. June, 1906, 27809
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show that there has been no silting, but that on the contrary the tendency has been in the direction of deepening of certain portions of the harbour. From an investigation made in August last year of the waterway leading to the Kowloon Wharves the Harbour laster was satisfied that there was actually more water than was shown on the chart. The central fairway is being constantly sounded by the Harbour Department and agrees with the chart. The Officers of H. M. S. "Merlin* recently re-surveyed the whole harbour and I understand that no substantial difference was found between the existing depth of water and that found during the survey made seventy years ago. It may be accepted, therefore, as a definite fact that the strong ebb and flow of the tide through the harbour
of