CO537-6036 — Page 38

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GAP ROCK

GAP ROCK is an island about 29 miles

south-west of Hong Kong; 21° 49' N and 113° 56' E. It is 96 feet high and has an area of 2.72 acres.

In 1888 China refused to lease the island to Great Britain but ultimately agreed that a lighthouse should be built upon the island on the following conditions:

(1) Gap Rock is and remains Chinese territory.

(2)

The Kowloon Customs to contribute $7,500 towards the construction of the lighthouse and $750 each year towards its maintenance; any further expense to be borne by the Hong Kong Government.

(3) The Governor of Hong Kong to nominate the officer to undertake the construction and maintenance of the lighthouse.

(4)

Chinese Customs officials to be at liberty to visit and inspect the light at pleasure and the island to remain open to the Chinese territorial officials to visit and deal with as before. But the island must not be used by the Hong Kong Government for any purpose other than the construction and maintenance of the lighthouse.

(5) The Kowloon Customs to provide for the

maintenance of the light should the Chinese Government require the Hong Kong Government to discontinue such maintenance.

The actual cost of construction was approximately 189,500, the balance over and above the Kowloon Customs contribution of $7,500 being met by the Colonial Government, which latter also defrayed a further sum of about $87,000 to lay a telegraph cable to the island.

The light was first exhibited in April, 1892, and cost the Hong Kong Government about $13,000 a year. Further large sums have also been defrayed from time to time by the Hong Kong Government on structural repairs, renewal of equipment, etc.

In 1910 the Colonial Secretary in Hong Kong suggested that when the question of the boundaries of the "New Territories" was taken up an effort should be made to secure the inclusion of Gap Rock in the lease; or, failing that, the Chinese Government be asked to make a very much greater contribution than that of $750 a year.

To this proposal the Inspector General of Chinese Customs held the view that no sufficient grounds existed upon which an appeal could be made to the Chinese Government in favour of a departure from one of the fundamental principles of the agreement of 1888, name ly that the light should be constructed and maintained at