CONFIDENTIAL
QUI
MIRALTY
M.01906/49.
S.W
Military Branch,
Admiralty,
S.W.1.
2nd August, 1950.
23
Dear Hall,
You wrote to me on the 20th June (your reference 53848/50) about the territorial waters of Hong Kong and raised the question of Gap Rock.
2. We have discovered a certain amount of correspondence dating from 1894 and 1898, from which it seems that Gap Rock was at that time Chinese. We thought, however, that it ought to be British because we had put up a lighthouse on it. So far as I know the lighthouse is still there, though it is not operated, and the island is not occupied.
3. I should have thought we were safe in saying that Gap Rock was British, since at one time it was continuously occupied for a period, and so far as we know no one has attempted to raise a counter-claim since then.
4. If you look up your file 10517/98 I think you may find further information even perhaps some which we have not got.
Yours sincerely,
Godds.
ة
Pl. obtain.
洲
H.P. Hall, Esq.;
3/6
Colonial Office.
10144 10715
CONFIDENTIAL
17/98 d
Page 40Page 41
TELEGRAM/*
To:-