CO129-412 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [7-8] — Page 59

No 259

şir,

C.O

54

31771

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 17th July, 1914.

Admis 25263

3

73

With reference to Mr. Severn's despatch No.415 of the 5th of December, 1913, I have the honour to inform you that the Naval Authorities appear to have abandoned the scheme of establishing oil tanks in Canton Road, Kowloon, and have approached the Military Authorities on the subject of the trans- fer of War Department land at North Point for the storage of o11. It is proposed, I understand, to give access to the sea from this land by means of a pier.

2.

I had a conversation with the Commodore and

Major-General Kelly on this subject on the 9th instant when I pointed out that in accordance with Mr. Chamberlain's despatch No.288 of the 7th August, 1903, any such transfer of land must be made through the Colonial Goverment; and that the foreshore

and seabed in front of the War Department land at North Point is

Crown land and must be separately dealt with between the Colo-

nial Government and the Admiralty.

3.

In a letter, copy enclosed, which I addressed to

Major-General Kelly and which has likewise been communicated to

Commodore Anstruther, I pointed out that the projection of a

pier from the foreshore would interfere with a comprehensive

scheme of reclamation along the foreshore.

4.

I have other applications for part of the same

foreshore and seabed for industrial purposes. I should be glad

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT,

M.P. ·

&C -

800-1

800.

therefore