CO129-286 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black Governor Sir Blake & Public Offices - 1898 [11-12] — Page 429

In any further communica

tion on this subject, please quote

W.£, 378

and address letter to-

The Secretary,

7981/3535

Admiralty, Whitehall,

Loudon, S.W.

C.0.

18334

&

17 UEC 96

Admiralty,

th

422

411

16 December 1898.

3.18092/98. 6.14288/98.

Had my 2386

Sir,

With reference to your letter of the 29th

November 1898, asking for a reply to your letter of the

8th July 1898, respecting the Crown Rent on Marine Lot's -

Nos.20 and 21 (late Sharp's Buildings) I am commanded by

the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you,

for the information of the Secretary of State for the

Colonies, that it was considered desirable to await a

reply to Admiralty letter of the 24th October 1898,

W.L.2771/3951 before My Lords gave Their views on the

question of Crown Rent on Sharp's property, as the same

principle seems to be involved in both cases.

}

My Lords have been in communication with the War

Office on the question of Crown Rents, and in a letter

dated 29th November 1898, the Secretary of State remarks

that when the lease of that portion of the passage between

Sharp's Buildings and the Commissariat Buildings which

adjoins the latter was acquired by the War Department, it

was subject to a Crown Rent, but payment was not made,

in accordance with the general principle that the Military

Department should have allotted to them free of charge all

Goverment lands etc. that may be considered necessary.

This would appear to be a confirmation of what

the Attorney General at Hong Kong stated he believed to be

the practice.

It is true the Admiralty covenanted with the

vendors

The

Under Secretary of State

for the Colonies,

1.P.--No. 7

COLONIAL OFFICE,

Whitehall, S.W.