14
dredge their area to depths of from 26 to 32
feet, and therefore, if the Hong Kong Government
dredged the blue area to 32 feet, that would
meet Admiralty requirements. It seems clear
from No.1 on the file that the Hong Kong Govern-
ment think that dredging the area hatched blue
to 32 feet might be adequate, e.g., in paragraph
4: "There is no doubt that the area coloured
blue on the plan is generally of inadequate
depth, but I am not sure that the same can be
said of the area coloured red and hatched blue";
and in paragraph 8: "No figure is available
for dredging the blue area to 32 feet only. It
is therefore at present impossible to say
whether, in the event of dredging being limited
to this, it should be paid for out of current
revenue or loan.
From the start of the enquiry, Sir
H. Mackinder's view of the question was whether
the whole area should be dredged to 34 or 36
feet, and the question is so stated in paragraph
1 of (26). Sir H. Mackinder's suggestion in
(27) that part of the cost should be recovered
from the Godown Company is almost certainly
impracticable. The Company will dredge the
area in the immediate vicinity of its piers,
but it will almost certainly object in principle
to paying anything for the area beyond them, on
the ground that adequate dredging of the harbour
beyond the vicinity of private piers is an admitted Government liability (see paragraph 3
of No.1). Drafts herewith for cons'on.
JA. Calder
พ.
19.10.32
19/10/12
aband