CO129-390 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1912 [5-6] — Page 301

62228.

Duphel

C.

14!1 #

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 12th. June, 1912.

291

Sir.

was 432.

I have the honour to inform you that I have had

under consideration your Despatch No. 13 of the 13th. January transmitting a copy of a letter from the Admiralty regarding the right of the Hongkong Government to reclaim the harbour frontage to the South of the Kowloon Naval Yard.

2.

The development of Kowloon which has taken place has so entirely altered the conditions which existed fifty years ago, that in ordinary circumstances no regard could be had to the correspondence between Sir Hercules Robinson and Admiral Jones in March, 1861, upon which the Admiralty appear to rely in paragraph 6 of their letter.

3.

I visited the Naval Yard at Kowloon recently with the Commodore and the Director of Public Works, and considered the proposals which had been put forward by the latter for closing the entrance in the South end of the old basin and making a new opening on the West side. I am satisfied that the old basin has its own particular use for the Navy and that to make an opening either to the West or into the new basin on the North side would destroy that use. Besides this the new Victualling Store is at the South end of the old basin and it would be very inconvenient to move the jetty which is opposite to it.

4.

In these circumstances I am of opinion that the

E RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&c.,

&C.,

&c...

Colonial