PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference:
mwimmin TITLE C.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
8771.
SIR,
(No. 53.)
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No. 93.
Governor SIB H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received April 10, 1899.)
[Answered by No. 132.]
Government House, Hong-Kong, March 10, 1899.
HAVING been advised by local experts whom I have consulted in the matter that it is advisable that a complete survey of the new territory should be made with a view of settling land questions that must inevitably arise, I have decided to have a survey made with the least possible delay.
2. I enclose copy of a memorandum on the subject drawn up by the Director of Public Works with the assistance of Colonel Elsdale, R.E., and in accordance with the suggestion therein made I have caused application to be made to the Government of India for the loan of the officers and native assistants required for the work.
3. I enclose for your information a copy of the letter addressed to the Government of India, and I request that, if necessary, the Secretary of State for India may be asked to support the application.
4. I will address you later regarding the manner in which I propose to deal with the land question in the new territory pending the completion of a survey.
I have, &c.,
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor.
Enclosure 1 in No. 93.
MEMORANDUM regarding the proposed Survey of the Territory in Kwang Tung Province leased by Great Britain from China.
It has been decided by Government that a complete Trigonometrical and Cadastral Survey should be made of the above 'territory.
There being no officers available for this service in Hong-Kong, the Colonial Govern- ment desire to obtain from India the necessary trained staff.
The area of land to be surveyed is approximately 286 square miles on the mainland and 90 square miles of islands.
It consists of bold ranges of hills which may be roughly divided into two main ranges trending north-east and south-west, rising to peaks over 3,000 feet high, with numerous points from 1,200 to 2,000 feet in elevation. The south-west facing Hong- Kong, and the east coast is very rugged, bold basaltic cliffs forming the coast line on the east. The hills are covered with grass, bracken, and ferns, and sparsely with
young fir There are no forests or jungle. Between the hills and in the bays are patches of cultivated land, rice and sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, yams, indigo, being the commonest crops. The largest and best-cultivated valleys lie on the north and north-west. The area of cultivated land is estimated to be 72,000 acres.
trees.
There are numerous streams, and one river navigable for junks and steam launches runs from east to west nearly, through the main valley on the north.
The country generally is an easy one to survey, with numerous prominent points visible for many miles round. The coast line is probably fully 180 miles in length. Greatest width, east and west, 35 miles; north and south, 15 miles. There are no roada, but good footpaths.
From May to October the weather is uncertain, often stormy and wet, the temperature at sea level varying from 80° to 90°. From October to April the climate is very good- usually fine, dry, and cold, the temperature falling to 40° even at nights. The average annual rainfall is believed to be about the same as that of Hong-Kong, namely, 90 inches, the great proportion of which falls in the summer.
Coolie labour is abundant and cheap, the pay of able-bodied men being about 20 cents of a dollar a day. The dollar is now 1s. 11ąd.
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The Colonia! Government is advised that a sufficient stuff to undertake this survey would be as follows:--
One Chief Superintendent
One Assistant
Twelve Native Surveyore at $150
Six Draughtsmen at $407
Twelve gangs of six men
The latter only can be obtained in the Colony.
P.A.
$7,300
5,000
1,800
2,880
$17,180
If this staff, at the salaries named, can be obtained from the Ordnance Survey Department of India, they should bring with them all necessary instruments, theodolites, plane tables, steel tapes, drawing instruments, &c. The few tools required can be obtained in the Colony. The instruments would be either taken over and paid for by the Colonial Government or considered as a loan from the Government of India during the progress of the work. The European officers, with some of the native assistants, should arrive in the Colony to start the trigonometrical work several months before the staff for the cadastral work.
The officers engaged in the work, except in the territory immediately adjoining British Kowloon, would have to live in temporary camps, placed in convenient situations for the work.
There is available a fairly correct map of the country, on a scale of 4 of an inch the mile, prepared by the Jesuit missionaries. It shows the coast line correctly; the position of all villages, streams, roads, &c., approximately.
to
Travelling in the territory can be done in chairs, on ponies, or on foot. Hong-Kong can be reached in a day by water from any part of the territory.
For the information of native assistants it may be said that food of all sorts is abundant and cheap.
It is proposer that an office, containing also quarters for one or two of the officers. should be rented in British Kowloon, where, during a continuance of bad weather, the field surveyors could come to, to plot work, repair and adjust instruments, &c.
A rough map of the country is annexed, and a few photographs.
(No. 13.)
Enclosure 2 in No. 93.
Colonial Secretary's Office, March 10, 1899.
SIR,
As your Government is doubtless aware, a considerable strip of territory on the mainland of China, opposite Hong-Kong, and certain large adjacent islands, have been leased to the British Government by the Chinese Government for a term of years, and His Excellency the Governor has received the instructions from the Imperial Government to arrange to take possession at an early date.
One of the most important matters in connection with such arrangements is the land question, and it is therefore proposed to undertake at once a survey of the new territory, and in this connection I am directed to request the co-operation of the Government of India in obtaining the services of qualified officers for the work.
I enclose a memorandum on the proposed survey by the Director of Public Works, and I am to state that His Excellency trusts that it may be possible for the necessary officers and instruments to be lent by the Survey Department of the Government of India, as he is of opinion that the work of surveying the territory could not otherwise be per- formed in such a satisfactory and expeditious manner,
I am to enquire whether, in the opinion of the Surveyor-General, one European officer would be sufficient, and what rate of salary should reasonably be offered; or, if two European officers are in his opinion necessary, what rate of salary should be fixed in each case, and whether the native assistants can be obtained at the salaries mentioned in the memorandum.
His Excellency the Governor desires the survey to be undertaken and completed with the least possible delay, and if the terms of engagement and pay can be satisfactorily arranged, and your Government can lend the services of the required officers, trusts that
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