CO129-461 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1920 [5-7] — Page 32

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gate of Macao and the north-eastern corner of Green Island, i.e. between two points which have been in Portuguese occupation for many years. There is, I understand, no intention of making any particular use of the land so reclaimed, the only object of the Portuguese Government being to have a place in which to dump the mud dredged from the harbour channel, and the deposit of mud on this spot is merely hastening a natural process, since at this point and to a considerable distance to the north of it mud-flats are forming of themselves. On the other hand, I find a difficulty in understanding why the Portuguese Government attach any importance to a reclamation in this particular spot. As already indicated, there is no intention to make any particular use of the land when formed. There is far more vacant land in Macao than can ever be used unless the character of this moribund town is completely changed, which there appears to be no reason to anticipate. It is a convenient spot on which to dump mud, derived from dredging, but I should say that the mud could be deposited on the other side of the peninsula, which is at its narrowest there, at a trifling cost and it seems unwise to court trouble by constructing a useless work at a point where the Chinese, however unreasonably, particularly object to it. In fact, to put the matter bluntly, I think that it is a question of unreasonableness on one side and obstinacy on the other and that so far as the merits of the case are concerned, there are none.

I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

humble servant,

7.2. Stubbs

Governor,&c.