CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 84

COPY.

No. 1811/1-Z/ 2.

C

ENCLOSURE 9

C.O

81

10645

JUN OF

Headquarter Office, -

Hongkong, 22nd. April, 1901. ·

Your Excellency,‹

I have the honour to acknowledge the

receipt of your letter No. 39/3 of 15th. April, 1901, and to note the first three paragraphs. ·

2.

With regard to paragraph 4, I would beg leave to point out that any reports or recommendations which I have to make, bearing on the state of the Defences of our Colony, or proposals affecting the welfare or necessities of the Troops, must be made by me to the Secretary of State for War, as I am not permitted to correspond with the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

3.

As Your Excellency will remember calling my attention to the lack of modern Defences to this Colony, and my stating to you that the War Office was doing all in its power to bring these up to the requirements of the day, I feel assured that. Your Excellency in any recommendations you make to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, will give me your best sup- port in this matter if the War Office decides that such a Reserve is necessary.

4.

Adverting to paragraph 5, of your letter it was considered that your letter of 24th. September, 1900, No. 88/3, closed the subject for the present, and I now await the decision of the Land Court as to the ownership of the property.

I have eto.,.

(sd.) T. J.. Gascoigne,

Major-General,

Commanding Troops in China.

Bis Excellency

The Governor of

Hongkong.