CO129-434 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [7-8] — Page 423

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG.

10th. August, 1916.

Jov

With reference to my despatch No. 93 of the 7th

of March, I have the honour to inform you that the scheme for

acquiring the buoys and moorings in Victoria Harbour has now been completed.

2.

957392414

In paragraph 5 of my despatch No. 285 of the 12th

August, 1914, I estimated the total cost of 40 moorings at

£250,000, but it will be seen from the report of the Harbour Master, of which I enclose a copy, that 45 moorings, with a con- siderable amount of extra tackle, have been acquired for a total sum of 8252.431. In paragraph 6 of the same despatch the annual revenue to be derived from letting the buoys was estimated at 830,000, but taking the figures of May and June, during which months practically the full number of buoys were in use, the revenue will probably exceed $60,000 per annum.

3.

The acquisition of the buoys and moorings has pro- -ceeded smoothly and without it being necessary to have recourse to arbitration in a single case, and great credit is due to the Acting Harbour Master and the Acting Assistant Harbour Master for this successful result. Commander Beckwith carried through the negotiations with the various Shipping Companies with much tact,

and

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,

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