11
1083.
I think this is carrying foresight too far. It is fairly obvious that both the Aberdeen Scheme and the Shing Mun Scheme will be necessary long before the 70 years
are up.
It is also. I should imagine, likely that if ever Kowloon is handed back to China
Hong Kong will go with it. I think we can
ignore this consideration.
(2) The Shing Mun Works are outside the
area which it is intended to defend in the last
resort against attack.
This might, of course, be of great
importance but it is in any case contemplated
that Hong Kong will only be dependent on Shing Mun for the next few years during which there is, so far as can at present be seen, no likelihood of an attack on Hong Kong. It might however
be as well to obtain Mr. Clauson's observations on this point.
(3) Sir C. Clementi suggests as an alternative to either scheme the distillation of water from
the sea.
He says he understands this has been tried with success in other parts of the Empire. We had better ask the C.A. whether they have any knowledge of the possibilities of such distilla- tion and of its probable cost.
(4) If the Shing Mun Scheme is adopt ed Sir C. Clementi suggests as an alternative to the pipe line across the harbour, that water pipes should be laid through a tunnel which it may in any case be desirable to construct for traffic
between Hong Kong and Kowloon. The Crown Agents might also be asked for any observations on this.
Sir