C.0.
566
40121
C OF Y.
Enclosure 4.
Rrc
Sir,
REC 4 NOV 03)
10, Queen's Road,
Hongkong, 5th. June, 1902.
Lantao Marine Lots 1 and 2.
in compliance with your predecessor's let-
ter of the 25th. April last we now beg to forward you full par- ticulars of our clients' claim to compensation on account of
losses in connection with the Shell-bed concession granted to
them by the Government.
On the Lease of Lantao Marine Lots 1 and 2
being granted to ther by the Government our clients, with others,
formed themselves into a syndicate called "Li hing", to carry
out the purposes of the said leases. The Syndicate accordingly
took a lease of a piece of land on the Island of Fingchau in the
New Territory, and built thereon limekilns and factory, erected
a pier adjacent thereto, hired a boat and crew to patrol the
premises, engaged a staff of employes and chartered junks to
search for and obtain coral and shells, and also employed a
number of workmen to burn lima. This they did relying on the
validity of the leases granted to them by the Government and
expecting that they would have the monopoly of the Shell-col-
lecting in that particular locality.
They soon found however that their monopoly
was disputed by all those who had been accustomed to gather
shells there, and on their attempting to enforce their rights,
they had judgment given against them by the Supreme Court,
which held that the leases were invalid; and our clients were
thereby mulcted in heavy costs.
In consequence of the matters above men-
-tioned
Page 570Page 571
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