CO129-253 - Public Offices & Others - 1891 — Page 197

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same dangers to guard against, having the same rights to preserve, and having the same freedom, the same prosperity, and the same liberty to ensure. (Hon. P. Ryrie- "Hear, hear.") All should aid alike to join in this protection. In conclusion I will say that I feel sure the Secretary of State will not fail to listen to the different reasons und the different arguments that have been adduced here to-day, and 1 shall not fail, when referring to him the proceedings of the Council of to-day, to inform bim of the circumstances under which this vote was so readily agreed to by the unanimous voice of this Council, and the reason why I myself and the official members consider that we can join the unofficial members in agreeing to the resolutions that have been proposed, and which will now be submitted for this Council's approval. The ques- tion now is that the resolutions which have been proposed by the hon, unofficial member on my right, and which have been seconded by the hon. unofficial member on my left, be agreed to.

Carried nem. con.

LANDS.

Sir,

No. 25.

Colonial Office to War Office.

Downing Street,

3rd July, 1890. With reference to your letter* of the 22nd of May last, No. Hong Kong 8 1250 3 and previous correspondence, respecting the questions of the extension of the Praya, Wall at Hong Kong, and the removal of the military departments, I am directed by Lord Knutsford to enclose, for convenience. of reference, a copy of Sir William Crossman's letter of 24th September, 1881, which has been referred to as raising the question of consolidating the military departments at Causeway Bay,

This letter was communicated to you on the 14th of November, 1881, but no further action appears to have been taken on it.

JOHN BRAMSTON..

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The new barracks should be built on the bigh ground overlooking the bay, in such positions as may be selected by the military authorities.

This might be done by the Colony, who should prepare the whole of the new buildings. On their completion the Imperial Government would move their men and stores into the new positions, and hand over the present Imperial property in Victoria to the Colony.

This no doubt would entail a large outlay from Colonial funds, but, from the rough estimate I have been able to make, I think that, even if the Colony has to borrow for the immediate expenditure, the money would eventually be recouped and the Govern- ment would be able, should the naval anthorities coincide, to improve the town, as they have long wished to do, by continuing the Praya along the whole water front from the Murray Pier to the Ordnance Wharf at Wellington Barracks.

From information I have received, it would appear that to build the wharf wall and reclaim the land at Causeway Bay would cost 500,000 dollars.

To provide new military establishments equivalent to those now existing would cost 1,250,000 dollars. New naval setablishments would cost 500,000 dollars.

Making a total cost of 2,250,000 dollars.

The land and buildings handed over occupy upwards of 80 acres of ground. A considerable quantity of this could not be built upon, but 40 acres may be said to be valuable property worth at least 2 dollars per square foot; the sale of this, exclusive of the value of the buildings themselves, would realise 2,500,000 dollars.

I say nothing of making the Praya Wall along the front of the present War Depart- ment and Navy property, as the additional reclaimed land would pay for that.

The removal of the present magazines would also place at the disposal of the Colony valuable building land along the Kennedy Road.

As regards the military and Colonial requirements, I think the proposed change would be most beneficial to both departments; as to the requirements for the Navy, I do not profess to give an opinion, though I have included the removal of the naval yard in the scheme proposed; I have however forwarded confidentially a copy of this Jetter to the Commodore.

The estimate of cost is necessarily a very rough one, but should your Excellency think the scheme worthy of further consideration, I recommend that, in the first place, the Committee on Defences be requested to give their opinion as to the advisability of concentrating the naval and military establishments on the site I have named.

If they approve of the concentration, the Senior Naval Officer and the Officer Commanding the troops might be requested to send in to you a report on the subject, which could be forwarded with your remarks to the Secretary of State.

I have forwarded a copy of this letter to the Inspector-General of Fortifications. W. CROSSMAN, Colonel, R.E

{

Sir,

Enclosure in No. 25.

Colonel Crossman to Administrator.

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Hong Kong.

24th September, 1881.

In connection with the defences of this island, concerning which I have been › directed by the War Office to confer with your Excellency, the present position of the- naval and military establishments at Hong Kong is one, which, I would submit, ought to be taken into serious consideration.

The orginal military cantonment, on which these establishments are placed, is divided into two parts by the principal thoroughfare of the Colony, and is also, owing to land having been disposed of in former times, occupied in part by a large Chinese population. Not only are the troops, from the position of the barracks, separated from each other, but the Ordnance Store Department, which provides the whole of the naval and military armament is distributed in five different places.

This sub-division would in the event of an outbreak among the Chinese population, render the buildings and establishments liable to be destroyed in detail, and however unlikely such an outbreak may be under present circumstances, still, in considering the defences of Hong Kong as the principal Imperial naval station in the Pacific, such a coutingency ought to be provided for.

In time of peace, also, there can be no doubt that it would be of immense advantage to the public service if all the naval and military establishments were concentrated.

The Colonial Government is at present forming a harbour of refuge at Causeway Bay, and I propose for your consideration, whether, if this harbour could be removed to some other position, such as Yaú-ma-ti Bay, it would not be as well to form, on the line of the proposed breakwater, a wharf wall which would run in about 12 feot of water, and reclaim the whole of the ground (shown yellow on plan).

On this ground so reclaimed, or on such part of it as may be necessary, the whole of the buildings and Offices connected with naval, ordnance, commissariat and engineer (including submarine mining) establishments might be placed.

* No. 23.

No. 26.

CONTRIBUTION.

War Office to Colonial Office.

War Office,

Sir,

14th July, 1890. I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter* of the 23rd May, covering a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong, together with proceedings of the Legislative Council on the subject of the revised Military Contribution payable by that Colony in aid of the cost of its military defence.

Although the contribution had been voted, the Government of the Colony adopted resolutions objecting to the immediate payment of the full contribution on two main grounds-

1st. That the armament to be provided by the Imperial Government,

was not yet in position.

2nd. That the full garrison had not yet been provided.

It was further objected that while your despatch of January last, led the Colony to expect a garrison of 2,515 Europeans, it was understood that one of the battalions of Infantry was now to consist of Indian troops.

1. Armament. Out of a total of 92 guns, only 10 are wanting to complete the armament of Hong Kong, The enclosed statement shows that of them,

* No. 24.

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