CO129-303 - Public Offices & Others - 1900 — Page 110

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Hong Kong 5/334

WAR OFFICE

189€3

RECD

∞

London $.IC JUN 00

5th June 1900. 108

Sir,

I am directed to acquaint you for the information of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have specially brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for War that the increase of the Naval Forces of

Russia and Japan on the China Station render the speedy completion of the permanent defences of Hong Kong a matter of the highest importance

2.

The scale of armament to be provided for these

de fences was settled by a Conference of Naval and Military

Officers in January of last year and the guns are under

+

supply The construction, however, of the works in

which to mount them, has not, yet been, and cannot be,

put in hand until the necessary financial provision has been

made. The total estimate for these works is £90,000, of

which a sum of £12,000 is required for expenditure during the present year, the balance being distributed over the

following three financial years

The Secretary

3.

•

The arrangement under which defences have in the

past been provided at Hong Kong has been for the Colony

to pay the whole sum required for the construction of the works, and for the Imperial Government to provide the

armament

Under this arrangement no provision has been made in the Programe drawn up by the War Office for the

Military

TREASURY