CO129-370 - Governor Sir Lugard & Public Offices - 1910 [12] — Page 33

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commercial purposes by foreigners and........all the great

oil-fuel depôts in the Colony are owned by foreign Compani-

-es", it appeared to me advisable to submit the matter for

your consideration before granting so large an area for a

coal depot to a foreign firm. It is true as Sir Henry May

says that the depôts for Petroleum are in the hands of

American and Dutch firms, but oil-fuel whatever may be the

developments of the future has not hitherto been a factor

of importance in regard to Warships.

5.

I spoke confidentially of the

matter to the Commodore in the absence of the Admiral, and

I enclose copy of a note which he wrote to me on the subject.

I may observe in reference to this note that the conditions

of Port Arthur offer no parallel to those of a large

commercial port like Hongkong.

6.

As regards the Mitsui Bussan

Kaisha, the firm whose application is the subject of this

despatch, it is the largest coal dealing firm in the

Colony and already owns a coal depot (Kowloon Marine Lot

87) at Yaumati with an area of 145,550 square feet and a

frontage of about 300 feet. The depth of water is, however,

Enclosur

only about 12 feet at low tide. The lease of this lot was

granted by my predecessor on 30th. June, 1905. In addition

to