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The amount (of land) occupied by the Naval and Military Authorities in the centre of the town and cutting the town in two is:-- By the Naval Authorities 44 acres and by the Military Authorities 84 acres. It has been pointed out to the Commissioners, by several persons, that the City of Victoria is really divided into two Towns and the effcer of the recent purchases by the Military Authorities has been to make things worse than they were before, both in regard to their having turned out a number of people having to seek for some other places in which to live and carry on their businesses, and that from the fact of their having dispossessed and turned out all these people from the Queen's Road they have more than ever divided the Town into two complete parts.'
The land now occupied by the Naval and Military Authorities is extremely valuable, and has for some time been steadily increasing in value, and, although it might not be advisable to put the whole of the land into the market at ouce, yet with the present increasing population of the Colony, it would be rapidly absorbed, and the Government would not only get the premium for it, but a large Crown Rent."
*In addition to this, as soon as the land is covered with houses the Government would get a large amount for rates.'
There are other measures which could be carried out. in the event of the Government arranging for the Naval and Military Authorities to give up a sufficient quantity of the hand they now occupy, such as tramways, reclamation of the foreshore, and other reclamations advan- rageous to be effected, all of which would tend to increase the general revenue of the Colony,"
"If the Naval and Military Authorities even gave up only the land to the North of the Queen's Road it would be very much to the public advantage
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"Sooner or later, the Commissioners think that, if the population
continues to increase, it will be absolutely necessary with the increasing want of space and value of land, that the space occupied by the Naval
nsequence and Military Authorities will have to be relinquished in conse the pressure of population in the adjoining portions
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"The Commissioners, while attaching the greatest importance to the views of Military experts, especially to those of so competent and liberal- minded an officer as the present Major-General CAMEROs. C.B., are not convinced of the necessity of cutting the City into two parts. They venture to think that other positions might be found, which, with the aid of speedy communiention that might be obtained, would be equally advan- tageous for all military purposes, and for the protection of the City. looking to its peculiar configuration, and would be prepared to suggest what they would consider to be suitable sites for the whole barrack accom¬~ modation, inclusive of officers' quarters and bungalows for married officers, and parade grounds, if there was the slightest chance of inducing the Military Authorities to consider the advisability of removal.”
I also think and have thought for many years that both for the Naval and Military establishments far more suitable positions could be found,
I would suggest, Causeway Bay and the hills to the Fast of it for the Military, and the West side of the Kowloon peninsula for the Navy, and the special object of my present commm- nication is to call the attention of the Government of the Colony to the chauce which seems to me to offer now for making a final effort to recover for the Colony the very valuable piece of ground in possession of the Admiralty. The question of the War Office land will come into another letter now in course of preparation.
The Admiralty are now in possession in the heart of the City of some ten acres of land instead of the 44 acres they were in occupation of in 1886. This additional area has been acquired from the War Office as the result of certain arrangements recently made between the Government of the Colony, the War Office, and the Admiralty. To this ten neres, they are about to aid by reclamation from the sea rather better than 28 acres and within this additional area they are preparing to construct a 550 feet dock and a floating busin. My suggestion is that the works at present in pro- gress should be suspended forthwith and that the entire Naval establishment should be tranferred as speedily as possible to a far superior site at Kowloon, extending
from the present Naval establishment at Kowloon northward to Yau Ma Ti and The premises at present covering an area of 3,300,000 square feet or 122 acres. occupied at Kowloon covers 82 acres so that my proposals if accepted will put the Admiralty in possession of 1304 acres of land in one block and unite all their different establishments in ouc place, including a Tidal Basin of 22 acres (or 124 acres larger than the one now under construction) with ample room for 3 graving docks 600 feet, 500 feet and 300 feet long respectively on the blocks) in addition to which there will be more than sufficient room for workshops, store sheds, offices and future
extensions.
I send herewith a chart of the harbour shewing the present position and area of the Naval Yard with the proposed extension thereof coloured dark yellow and shewing (coloured green) the Naval Yard where I suggest that it ought to be and shewing the vastly increased area of land at its disposal there.
The present site, even after the completion of the proposed extensions seaward, It is so placed that no extension landward is necessarily cramped and confined. either South, Fast or West is possible: Any further extension seaward will be difficult. The proposed basin and dock will not be capable of enlargement or ex- tension. The Kowloon site is completely sheltered from the prevailing winds. It will afford room for a basin nearly three times the size of the basin now designed and for three docks instead of one. There is deep water close too, and every facility for further deepening the channels of approach and the anchorage by dredging and the inclusion of Mount Cochrane in the proposed site will afford ample room and a commanding position for residences and offices.
In reply to questions submitted for his consideration in 1886 by the Land Commission, Commodore (now Admiral) MORAXT, then in charge of the Naval Establishments in Hongkong, placed on record the following expression of his views :---
"I am of opinion that it would be advantageous to the public service If the Naval Yard Establishment could be moved from the present site in Victoria to the West side of the Kowloon peninsula, as at present * we are very much cramped for room and there is no depth of water "alongside our pier; and having already stores and the Torpedo Establishment at Kowloon great inconvenience, besides considerable "amount of extra expense, is entailed by having two establishments so
far apart from one another."
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"The position most suitable is from the Police Camber at Kowloon to the Naval Yard, but this land is now in the occupation of the Kow. "loon Wharf Company,
"There is however an alternative site not so advantageous in point of depth of water but which by reclamation could be made available viz., the bay North of the Kowloon Yard which if filled in and a sen-wall built from the present outter wall of the Kowloon Naval Yard to the point opposite with the adjacent anoccupied land would make a very efficient establishment
and being in a ringfence, so to
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speak, more supervisiou would be exercised at less cost." My present proposal covers this latter site and gives the Admiralty much more land than was embraced in Commodore MoRANT'S memorandum, as the northern boundary is carried to the outskirts of Yau Ma Ti, and the Hill is included.
I respectfully suggest that before the works at the Naval Yard proceed further these suggestions of unine should be carefully considered and formal proposals made to the Admiralty for an exchange of their present holdings in the centre of Victoria Such an exchange will give for the site indicated on buy plan sent herewith. them eight times the area they at present possess and three times the largest area they can acquire on this side even after completion of the extensions now in hand. I am afraid that these extensions will not be as easily or as cheaply carried out as was anticipated and will not prove so very valuable when completed. Judging from the nature of the adjoining land a considérable portion of the basin and dock will have to be exenvated in solid rock and the strong currents in that part of the harbour will render the entrance and exit of vessels from the dock a work of difficulty and danger. The works have not yet proceeded so far that they cannot easily be abandoned and the Colony, if the exchange were carried out, could well afford to compensate the Admiralty for any monics expended up to date,
Need I point out the immense advantage to the Colony and to the Treasury of. the exchange? I assume that, if terms can be arranged with the Naval Authorities,
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