CO129-225 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1886 [1-3] — Page 356

352

C 0.

Enclosure

postponed.

b.

I shall do myself the

honour of addressing Your Lordship

more

fully in a later despatch the subject of the financial

as it is

position of the Colony affected by the present vote.

on

I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's Most Obedient

Humble Servant,

BMurth

0

The Officer Administering the Government lays before the Council a despatch which he has just received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the defences of Hongkong,

It will be remembered that the original proposals sanctioned by the War Office embraced works the estimated cost of which was £55,625, whilst the corresponding arinament was to cost only £37,500.

It was stated in the despatch of Lord DERBY of the 17th September, 1884, which was laid before the Council, that Her Majesty's Government had arrived at the decision that the Colony of Hongkong should defray only the cost of the necessary works, the Imperial Government contributing the armament. The Council was accordingly asked by Sir GEORGE BOWEN, on the 10th December, 1884, to vote the sum of £55,625 required for the construction of these works.

Before agreeing to vote the sum required for the construction of the works there was considerable discussion in the Finance Committee, owing to an impression that the armament which was to be sent out was altogether inadequate, and the vote was passed with the understanding "that the armament to be provided by the Imperial Government would be of the best and latest pattern of breech-loading ordnance and capable of resisting attacks by the heaviest modern ironclads."

Sir GEORGE BOWEN did not fail to represent strongly on several occasions the wish of the community that Hongkong should be properly defended, and Generals SARGENT and CAMERON have supported his recommandations with all the weight of their long professional experience.

The result of these recommendations has been that the scheme of defence has been very carefully re-considered. Instead of three new works and remounting guns iu existing works, the new scheme of defence includes four new works and three new sites for single heavy guns, and, whilst omitting the works originally proposed at Quarry Bay, it substitutes a complete defence of the Ly-ee Mun Channel. The weight and power of the

guns have been so greatly increased that much more massive and costly foundations and emplacements have to be provided for them. An idea of the difference in the guns now proposed from those originally contemplated may be gathered from the revised estimate of cost of the armaments, which, instead of being £37,500, will now amount to £118,500.

In June, 1885, the Major-General Commanding represented to the Governor the necessity of a large increase in the amount contributed by the Colony, in order to meet the cost of the improved and extended works of defence, and, in accordance with the Colonial Regulations, the Governor referred the question to the Secretary of State before asking the Council to vote the necessary sum. The Despatch now laid before the Council conveys the sanction of Her Majesty's Government to the application for such It will be seen from this Despatch and its enclosure that the revised estimate of the cost of constructing the Defence Works is £116,000 instead of £55,625.

vote.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has no doubt that the Council will loyally consent to vote the necessary amount for completing the Defences of Hongkong in an efficient manner.

The Officer Administering the Government therefore asks the Council

to vote the additional sum of £60,375. It appears doubtful whether any part will be spent before 1887, but it is necessary that a vote should be passed to enable the Royal Engineers' Department to enter into contracts for the execution of the works. Government House, Hongkong, 16th February, 1886.

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