CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 162

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be shown that the value of the light to Chinese shipping is out

of all proportion to the nominal amount which the Chinese

Authorities contribute towards its upkeep.

I have not broached in any quarter the suggestion for the

cession of Gap Rock to the Colony for, as I have already stated,

I an convinced that in the present temper of the Chinese it

would not be entertained.

In these circumstances I should be glad to learn whether Your Excellency has any further considerations to urge in favour

of an increased annual contribution from the Chinese Government

or whether you would wish me to approach them with a formal request for a special grant towards the cost of renewing the lantern apparatus which Mr. Aglen states he is prepared to

recommend.

(Signed)

I have &c.,

J.N. Jordan.

My dear Sir John:- Race 76 007 12

PEKIN G.

21st September, 1912.

Your letter of 1st August concerning the

Chinese Government's contribution towards the cost of

maintaining the Gap Rock Lighthouse was handed to me

on my return from Peitaiho at the end of the month,

and I regret that my absence and the necessity of

obtaining some information have prevented me from reply-

ing before.

I have no record of the negotiations that

preceded the conclusion of the 1888 arrangement referred

to by you, us all Inspectorate archives were destroyed in

1900, but, from what I can gather from the correspon-

dence with the Kowloon Customs at the time, there was

never any intention that the Chinese Government's con-

tribution towards either the first cost or the mainten-

盏

sum.

ance of this light shoula be other than a purely nominal

The Hongkong Government assumed full responsibility

for both construction and maintenance, and, though it is

true the cost of both largely exceeded the estimates,

there