20
sea defence of the Colonies by means of her Navy, the Colonies, so far as their means allow, respectively providing for their own land defence a principle laid down in despatches to Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements— was the more defensible principle of the two and gave this country all that she could hope to obtain as a rule from the Crown Colonies. In October, 1891, the Colonial Office Phot.. informed the other departments that Ceylon would prefer No 47. to pay its contribution in four equal instalments of £81,750 rather than to adopt the graduated scale laid down in the Secretary of State's despatch of the 23rd July. By the ith August, 1892, the Treasury and War Office reluctantly. No. 51 concurred, fearing lest the payment of £81,750 in 1894 and No.51. instead of £100,000 might prejudice the Home Govern- ment's claim for 1895 and subsequent years.
enclosure
The next step was taken in August, 1894, when the A. P Secretary of State, in view of the approaching reassemblage No. 60
(Enclosur 1). of the Inter-Departmental Committee, asked the Governor to furnish a full and careful memorandum setting forth the Colony's case. And in February, 1895, the Governor Phot, was instructed to continue payment of the contribution at No. 64 £81,750 a year pending the result of the deliberations of (Enclosure Her Majesty's Government.
IV.HONG KONG.
(1) THE PERIOD TO 1888.
22.
The island of Hong Kong was ceded by the Emperor of China in 1841, and the cession was confirmed by Treaty, which was ratified in 1843. The place was a Imre rock, sparsely inhabited by Chinese fishermen, and the object in securing the island was to obtain possession of a base for It is therefore not surprising the Navy in Chinese waters, that the civil administration of the colony cost Her Majesty's Government £273,000 in the first fourteen years A. 132.
and military Appendix of its existence, exclusive of naval expenditure.
B. No. 1. Para. 6.
By 1859 the Colony had become self-supporting, so far Ibid. as the Civil Establishment was concerned; up to this period, of course, no military contribution had been paid. Following on the report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons of 1861, it was decided by Her Majesty's Government that Hong Kong should be called upon to
pay a contribution in aid of the cost of the garrison. But House of it is essential to remember that in the view of the Select Commons Committee, Hong Kong belonged to the second class of Paper,
No. 423, colony, viz., military garrisons, naval stations, convict 1861, depôts, and dependencies maintained chiefly for objects of Imperial policy; and that the Committee laid it down that the responsibility and main cost of the defence of such Ibid., places properly devolved on the Imperial Government.
para.
1.
para. 9.
The Government's decision was conveyed to the Governor A 132. (Sir H. Robinson-later Lord Rosmead) in a letter addressed Appendix to him during leave of absence on the 25th of April, 1863. B, No. 1. The letter pointed out that the Colony was in a flourishing condition, that a large surplus revenue had been accumu- lated for the last three or four years, and that Hong Kong had never contributed anything towards her military defence. Sir F. Rogers went on to say that the war in China had increased the charges for the garrison and that it had been found impossible to arrive at an approximate estimate of the cost of the force; but "it is contemplated Ibid., "now that the force to be permanently stationed in the para, 12.
A. 132, App. 13, No. 2.
Ibid., para.
17.
*
21
Colony shall be about 1,000 strong, including artillery, and the question simply resolves itself into the proportion of the cost for these troops which the Colonial revenue is able to bear.
"The actual cost, judging from analogy, may be stated at about £100,000 It may confidently be expected that exclusive of the large balance in hand, which at "the commencement of the year was stated to be about £98,000, a surplus revenue ranging between £30,000 and "£40,000 per annum may be reckoned upon in future years, and Her Majesty's Government while fully admitting the probability that the garrison of Hong Kong will be in part maintained for Imperial purposes (which purposes however are closely connected with the prosperity of the Colony) consider that it would only be just and reasonable that for the next five years Hong Kong should contribute £20,000 per annum towards "the military protection which it undoubtedly requires "for the security of its European inhabitants. "expiration of that time the amount will be subject to any revision which the altered circumstances of the Colony may require."
LL
46
At the
"I am to observe that in considering the amount which "Hong Kong should be called upon to contribute, the "Duke of Newcastle was of opinion that the question "should be decided more with reference to the amount of revenue available than according to any capitation rate "which would be inapplicable to the circumstances of the Colony. And I am to add that in fixing that amount "at £20,000 per annum His Grace has been actuated by the desire not to press too heavily at first on the "Colonial revenues, and thus possibly to retard works of
<
public utility for which, arguing on the calculations
"which have been made, a sum of £15,000 or £20,000
44
per annum would still be available besides the large "balance in hand which would appear to be specially
applicable to works of that nature."
Sir H. Robinson was invited to express his views before any definite action was taken, and availed himself fully He of the invitation, in a letter of the 21st May, 1863. observed that the question resolved itself into two con- siderations :--
(1) The ability of the Colony to meet any such
charge as that proposed.
(2) The justice of calling upon it to do so. Against the first point he argued strongly, urging_that the rapid growth of the Colony had necessitated a large and immediate capital outlay on public works; that the present and probable future revenue for some little time would be £105,000, while ordinary expenditure without public works was £85,000; that this excess of revenue was barely sufficient to maintain public works in serviceable order; that the accumulated surplus was less than the Secretary of State estimated and was fully required for urgent works; and that therefore the Colony could not afford to pay the contribution. On the second point he was equally emphatic, asserting that the presence of the troops was not necessary for the security of the European inhabitants or for the protection of Colonial interests :—~
"Her Majesty's troops are stationed in Hong Kong, "I imagine, because England's share in the foreign trade "of China is estimated at over 30 millions sterling; "because this trade is carried on mostly in British vessels
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TEC.O. 882
9
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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