SIR,
74
Enclosure 1 in No. 53.
EXTRACTS from a letter of the Military Commissioner, Wei-hai-Wei,
dated April 21, 1900.
WITH reference to paragraph 3 (D) of the Report of the Joint Naval and Mili- tary (Home) Committee of 24th March, 1899, regarding allocation of sites, I have the honour to forward two reports on the subject, which I have received from the Ad- visory Naval and Military Board, together with plans* accompanying the reports. I concur with the report regarding sites proposed for business premises and godowns, able for building on on Liu-kung island is not large, and all the available land west of East village will be required for military buildings, naval and military recreation ground, and naval hospital.
Any extension of the naval rifle range such as is contemplated by the naval members of the Board would simply render the whole of the eastern end of the island unsafe when long-range firing is going on, and therefore practically useless to the War Department.
*
My recommendation, therefore, is that the ground from A to B on the tracing, No. 2, accompanying the report of the Advisory Committee, be allotted for civilian residences.
75
ADVISORY COMMITTER,
Report on Allocation of Sites for Civilian Business Premises and Godowns on the Island of Liu Kung Tau, called for by the Commissioner on March 31, 1900.
Liu Kung Tau, April 3, 1900.
SIR,
WITH reference to the above subject, we beg to report that the flat site to the east of the building now occupied by the Soldiers and Sailors Institute, about 200 feet by 65 feet (coloured green and marked 5 on accompanying map) appears best suited for the purpose.
This area should provide accommodation for the two English business firmus now located in Bay Street. Should further accommodation be required, and when the Government requirements are more definitely known, it is considered that the Soldiers and Sailors' Institute should be moved elsewhere, and the premises handed over for occupation as godowns, &c., by English firms.
We recommend the site adjoining and east of the Commissioner's present quarters for an hotel, in addition to the present buildings in Sing Street (coloured green and marked 5 (4)).
The native shopkeepers on Admiralty property it is proposed to leave until these premises are required for Government purposes, when room can be found for them north of the West village.
E. C. C. GAUNT, Commander-in-Charge, H.M. Naval Depot,
Liu Kung Tau. C. PENROSE,
Major, R.E., Commanding Royal Engineer.
G. H. M. THEW, Assistant Civil Engineer.
SIR,
Allocation of Sites for Civilian Bungalows on Island of Liu Kung Tau.
Queen's House, Liu Kung Tau, February 3, 1900.
THE Advisory Board is of opinion that the site on the foreshore below Mandarin Hill is available for this purpose, and also one to the east of Mandarin Hill road. These sites are shown on the accompanying tracing.*
They allow for two bungalows, with ground area of three-quarters of an acre each. As the space available on the island is limited, the Board suggest that the size of the allotments should not exceed this.
for
The naval members are desirous of reserving the land west of the rifle range 200 yards, with a view to extending the rifle range to 1,000 yards. It is desirable that an expression of opinion from the Home Committee should be obtained on this matter, so that if there is no intention of prolonging the range this land can also be utilised for building purposes.
No recommendation can be made as regards Admiralty land until the scheme of Admiralty works has been received, though the Board is in favour of allotting sites north of the present West village.
The Commissioner,
Wei-hai-Wei.
We have, &c.,
E. C. C. GAUNT, Commander-in-Charge of Naval Establishments.
C. PENROSE,
Major, Royal Engineers, and C. R. E.
G. H. M. TREW,
Assistant Civil Engineer and Officer in Charge
of Admiralty Works.
The Commissioner,
Wei-hai-Wei.
SIB,
Enclosure 2 in No. 53.
(Wei-hai-Wei. 8/50.)
War Office, July 19, 1900. Wrra reference to paragraphs 4 to 6 of your letter of the 21st Apríl last, B/305, in which you recommend the allocation of certain sites for business premises and civilian residences on the island of Liu-kung, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to inform you that it is not considered desirable that facilities should be given, at any rate for the present, for civil (as distinguished from civil-official) resi- dents to settle on the island. The whole of Liu-kung has been purchased for military and naval purposes, and, however desirable the development of Wei-hai-Wei as a com- mercial port may be, this must not be allowed to curtail the military property on the island, or the military control over it.
No land outside the "Bazaar" limits should be leased, even for limited periods, until the full military and naval requirements on the island have been determined.
2. Any necessity for erecting houses for business and residential purposes which may arise, owing to the development of Wei-hai-Wei commercially, can, it is thought, be met without detriment to military and naval interests by the allotment of sites on the mainland. As, however, this territory is shortly to pass under the administration of the Colonial Office, it appears preferable that the consideration of such sites should be deferred until it can be dealt with by that Department, the requirements of defence being at the same time fully examined into and met in the final settlement of this question.
I am, &c..
R. HARRISON, Inspector-General of Fortifications.
• Not reproduced.
The Military Commissioner,
Wei-hai-Wei.
5858
I J
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