CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898 — Page 145

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(1). All land required for any Naval or Military

purposes should at once be reserved, for the use of the

Naval or Military Authorities as the case may be.-

(2). All land required for stock raising and ensuring reliable sources for provisioning the Fleet and Garrison

should also be reserved. We want in fact, to attract a

large agricultural population into our new territory.

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સર

Any incidental advantages that may accrue to the Colony, such as sites for manufactories, increased

facilities for housing the labouring population distinct from agricultural, must be absolutely subsi-

diary to the Imperial requirements which have induced

this Branch to advocate the acquisition of the hinterland

and surrounding islets.

In the possibly not distant future, when the

Kowloon-Canton railway has become an accomplished fact,,

it will be of the greatest importance that the line

in should be British territory when approaching the sea-

board

·

Primarily this extension is necessary for the safety of Hong Kong, the base of the fleet in the East, and secondarily for the security of the sources of supply for the Garrison that guards the base of the Fleet. Had therefore, a Military Commission been appointed for the demarcation of the frontier, the selection of sites for forts and block houses, and the reservation of lands for cantonments, this Branch whilst regretting the deley, every hour of which we are convinced is of most serious importance, would not have thought it necessary to address you on xxx the subject, as the matter would have passed into the hands of experts.