CO129-329 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [7-12] — Page 727

(COPY.)

723

Head Quarters, Hong Kong.

28th. Novemoer, 1905.

VOSCAC

Your Excellency,

With reference to your letter No.1 in 8948/1904 0.8.0. dated

24th.November 1905:

I have the honour to point out to Your Excellency that the parsgrach

referred to in the Lewis Memorandum is not considered to apply to the

present case.

The paragraph,it is thought, refers rather to a battery forming part of the

oresent defences, and not to a site such as Murray Battery-which is dealt

with on osge 7 of the Lewis Memorandum (paragraph 12) as 'an available site

for sale forming a valuable asset', and is not included in the Table on

which the exchanges of lends are set forth.

2.

Moreover, in the case of Spring Gardens the War Office has quite

recently instructed me, in default of ourchase by the Colonial Government,

bo dispose of the property otherwise. As this oroperty is included with

Murray Eattery in the paragraon (12) on page 7 of Lewis Memorandum it would

appear that at the Wer Office it is held that the Military Authorities

have a right of sale over these properties outside the Colonial Government.

I have 8c.

Sa. V.Hatton, Major General

Commanding Procos, South Chine,

JIS EXCELLENCY

THE GOVERNORS OF BONGKONG