CO129-318 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [7-10] — Page 313

1

No. 410.

Hongkong.

C.O.

35730

RECR

IRco. 28 SEP 03!

Government House,

Hongkong, 27th. August, 1903.

311'

sir.

Admy

19001

I have the honour to acknowledge the re-

ceipt of your Despatch No. 250 of 13th. July, in which was

enclosed a correspondence from the Admiralty.

2.

I submit that Vice-Amiral Sir Cyprian

Bridge has totally misunderstood the situation, and that the

letter quoted by him from Rear-Amirol Sir Michael Seymour

dated 1st. October clearly defines the rights granted to Ships

of War. The exclusive right of Ships of War to the anchorage

has never been disputed and no Merchant Vessel has been per-

mitted to anchor within its limits without the sanction of the

Naval Authorities, from whom a written authority must be

produced before a Merchant Vessel is permitted to moor or

anchor.

3.

But the claim now put forward by the Com-

mander-in-Chief is an entirely new one, never before put for-

ward, never allowed by this Colony, and destructive of valuable

rights that have been acknowledged without question from the

establishment of the Colony.

4.

I attach a tracing from Chart 1459 showing

the Harbour of Hongkong, with the boundary of the Man-of-War

THE RIGHT HONOURARLE

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

Zcc ...

8:0.*

&C..

Anchorage