CO129-386 - Public Offices & Others - 1911 — Page 217

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importance of which port as our principal naval base in the Far

East cannot be doubted.

4. The sale or lease of mining rights in the Colony

appears to need specially careful consideration, as if mining

operations were to be permitted near the batteries of the

defence there would always be a risk of accident or deliberate

damage by ill-disposed persons.

5.

The Council are aware that our position in Hong Kong

is assured till 1921 by the Anglo-Japanese Treaty; but by that

time, if the unrestricted sale of land be allowed to continue,

a hostile Power, in the event of war, might conceivably be in

a position to put our batteries out of action before a shot had

been fired.

If a foreign company is allowed to conduct mining

operations in the Colony, it will be very difficult to prevent

them from obtaining a practically unlimited supply of explosives,

and the storage of smuggled arms with a view to an organised

rising of disaffected inhabitants would be much facilitated.

6. The Council suggest, for the consideration of Mr.

Secretary Harcourt, the advisability of introducing legislation

with a view to giving His Excellency the Governor power to

prevent any sale or lease of private land, or the construction

of any works or buildings, if in his opinion, as advised by

the naval and military commanders, the safety of the defences

would be imperilled by such sale or lease, or by such

construction.

The Council also consider that legislation should be

introduced enabling the Governor to acquire, or resume

possession of, any land at short notice in case of emergency.

In