[ { "id": 335892, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-235 - Public Offices - 1887", "page_number": 508, "title": "CO129-235 - Public Offices - 1887", "content_text": "# WAR OFFICE\nDecember 504 1887.\n\n**C. of 24759 RCCP No 20875**\n\n**ALGE 9 DEC 87**\n\nWith reference to your letter of the 3rd instant, I am directed by the Secretary Stanhope to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that Colonel R. Locock RE, Deputy Director of works, will attend, on behalf of the War Office, the Departmental Committee which it is proposed should discuss the various points in dispute, in regard to the extension of the Praya Wall at Hong Kong.\n\nI have the honour to be,\nYour obedient servant,\n\nThe Under Secretary of State,\nColonial Office,\nS.W.\n\nIt is requested that in any further communication on this subject, the above Number may be quoted; and the Letter addressed to \n`The Under Secretary of State for War, War Office, Pall Mall, London, (S.W.)`\n\nPage 363 \nis having England's sake in January it is criminal that the over-burdened holding, begrud... \n\"With Jr JP. Lday \nKeywork \nin the filling \n... \ndone their utmost. Law not being him after \nWhen Colony must pay his costs and go on to live \na month \n... \nwork \nfor \n13/12 \n108 f \n... \nSir \nM. Braunston \n... \nCan we do anything further to elicit a reply from Admiralty, Have you Heard anything privately? \n... \n19/12 \n... \ntheir written a \n... not to Mr. Mangnall \n`8019/10`", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-235 - Public Offices - 1887.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 344445, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "page_number": 443, "title": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "content_text": "Hong Kong\n\n8\n\n1246\n\np. 6.\n\n40248 200\n\n6\n\n5. The interests of the Colonial Government in the two-fold question are understood to be four in number--\n\n(1st.) By the formation of the Praya, to improve the means of communication between the east and west portions of the town, and to reclaim land that can be utilized for building purposes for the ever-increasing population.\n\n(2nd.) To aid the War Department to dispose of some of the property held by them, and thus to further relieve the congested state of the town by throwing building land into the market.\n\n(3rd.) To acquire a portion of the land the War Department is prepared to dispose of for Colonial Government purposes, viz., the erection of buildings and the formation of roads.\n\n(4th.) To diminish as far as possible the colonial share of excess expenditure on barracks.\n\n6. These being the several interests involved, it remains to enumerate the obstacles to their satisfaction, and to consider how they may best be removed.\n\n7. With regard to the disposal of War Department lands, the greater portion that the War Department is prepared to part with consists of Crown land which has been granted by the Governor of the Colony for military purposes.\n\nWith regard to this portion, the Colonial Office, as advocate for the colony, argues that the colony has reversionary rights which should be taken into account.\n\nThese lands, however, come under paragraph 58, of Section V., of the Report of the Committee on Colonial Military Contributions, \"Colonial Military Lands and Buildings,\" which section has been approved by the Treasury; and they should therefore be dealt with accordingly, that is to say, their value should be settled as therein directed, and the Colonial Government should either pay that value and retain the lands, or else should sell them, the value or the proceeds of sale, as the case may be, being made available for the provision of other lands and buildings for military purposes in the colony.\n\nNo reversionary right therefore on the part of the colony, but only a pre-emption right, is recognised and this is but reasonable; for there is certainly no obligation on the War Department to part with the lands at all. This is especially the case with regard to these properties in Victoria, for the proposal that the War Department should part with them was originated by Sir George Phillippo, representing the colony, at meetings at the Colonial Office, in January 1888, at which the War Department and the Admiralty were also represented, the grounds assigned for the proposal being the congested state of the town of Victoria, and the desire of the Colonial Government to relieve it as far as possible by the operation.\n\n8\n\n1100\n\n8. With regard to one property in Victoria proposed to be parted with - viz., that known as the Commissariat Buildings, or Lot 22, the War Department occupy a different position, having acquired by purchase, in 1862, the residue of a lease of the property for 75 years, expiring in 1919. But, in accordance with a notification published in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of 3rd March 1849, applicable to all such leases in Victoria, the War Department has the right to extend the lease to complete a total term of 999 years. The reversionary rights of the colony in this case therefore have no substantial value; and on the lease being thus extended, the War Department could sell the property without question for what would practically be the value of the fee simple.\n\n9. With regard to the rest of the property to be disposed of in Victoria, with the exception of Spring Gardens, the residue of the 999-year lease of which was purchased by the War Department in 1857, it is conceded that the War Department could not sell it without the intervention of the Colonial Government, as laid down in paragraph 58, of Section V., of the Report of the Committee on Military Contributions, already referred to.\n\n77\n\n440\n\n2 4800, 4310,\n\n10. The requirements of the Admiralty next have to be considered. They ask for the refusal of the whole of the North Barrack property; but the Colonial Government wish to purchase a portion of this property for their own purposes. The War Department accordingly suggested to the Admiralty that they should have the refusal of the remainder of the North Barrack property, which flanks the naval yard on one side, and of the greater part of the commissariat buildings which flanks it on the other, the remaining portion, a strip 15 feet in width, being sought by the Colonial Government for the formation of a road.\n\n8 1226\n\nAt a conference, on 12th September 1889, between Major-General Percy Smith, Director of Works, on behalf of the Admiralty, and Colonel Locock, Deputy Inspector-General of Fortifications, on behalf of the War Department, the former was informed that whatever property the Admiralty acquired from the War Department they would have to pay for.\n\n11. As far, therefore, as the disposal of War Department property in Victoria is concerned, the matter is not difficult to arrange.\n\n2 4303\n\nThe property should be valued, subject to such restrictions as to the erection of Chinese dwellings as the Secretary of State for War is bound to insist upon for the sake of the health of the garrison; the Colonial Government and the War Department should agree to give the Admiralty the refusal at market prices of the portions mentioned above of the North Barracks property and of the commissariat buildings; the Colonial Government should pay the market value of the portions they wish to retain for colonial purposes; the rest should be sold in the open market, subject to the stipulated restrictions as to the erection of Chinese dwellings; and the total proceeds should be devoted towards the provision of the new barracks required for the increased garrison.\n\nIf there is anything in the colonial ordinances or customs, unknown to the War Department, which would prevent the Colonial Government realising the full value of such property as they might sell in the open market, the War Department could carry out that part of the transaction, the Colonial Government undertaking to give to the purchasers the customary 999-year leases.\n\nThe requirements of the War Department would thus be met, the Admiralty would secure the power of lateral extension of their naval yard, and the Colonial Government would satisfy the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of their interests enumerated in paragraph 5.\n\nFailing such an arrangement, none of these several interests can be satisfied, and all three parties would suffer loss.\n\nand\n\n1207\n\n12. Thus far, therefore, the matter is simple. It is, however, complicated by the question of the Praya.\n\nThis question has been under discussion for the last 10 years, culminated in a proposal from the Colonial Government, dated 15th January 1889, the main feature of which was that the War Department and the Admiralty should respectively pay for the cost of constructing the Praya in front of the properties held in Victoria by them, and that they should acquire in return the land reclaimed thereby in front of those properties. The Colonial Government also forwarded plans of the proposed Praya, which had been prepared so as to meet the requirements of the Navy.\n\n13. It is understood, as already stated in paragraph 4, that the Admiralty have informed the Colonial Office that they are willing to agree to the formation of the Praya, but not to contribute towards its cost.\n\n14. The War Department have informed the Colonial Office that they also were unable to contribute towards the cost of the Praya, and pointed out that the plan for its formation would require some modifications in order to meet their requirements; and they made a counter-proposal that the Colonial Government should retain the land that would be reclaimed by the Praya in front of the North Barracks, which reclamation was valued by the Surveyor-General of Hong Kong to be worth more than the sum the Colonial Government had invited the War Department to contribute; and that in consideration of this, the Colonial Government should defray the cost of the formation of\n\n1226", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 344450, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "page_number": 448, "title": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "content_text": "17\n\n445\n\n: \n\n16\n\ntrade between their own ports, and from those ports to the mother country. These ports differ, therefore, from those of Hong Kong and Singapore, in so far as they are not merely naval bases and harbours of refuge for the trade which passes them in its transit between the United Kingdom and foreign countries.\n\n10. Unless this distinction is kept well in view, no proper and fair consideration will be given to the conditions which govern the defence of these eastern coaling stations. It is of course reasonable and just that the mercantile community and alien inhabitants of Singapore and Hong Kong should bear their full share of the cost of protecting the ports in which they carry on their business, and of the security which they enjoy. The amount which they should contribute is a subject for careful examination and discussion, but as regards Hong Kong, Lord Knutsford must observe that the discussion was closed for the present by the conference of himself and his colleagues, when the contribution was fixed for five years, at £40,000 a-year.\n\n11. Their Lordships being dissatisfied with the conclusions of a Committee, to which their own representative was a consenting party, caused the matter to be referred to the two Secretaries of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and, according to Lord Knutsford's distinct recollection, the result of this meeting was that the recommendations of the Committee were accepted, so far as regards Hong Kong. He cannot, therefore, adopt the view apparently underlying your letter under acknowledgment that this conference was merely of a preliminary character, designed to clear the ground for subsequent discussion; and should the Secretary of State for War concur in this recollection of what passed at that meeting, Lord Knutsford trusts that their Lordships will reconsider their present decision, and agree to this contribution of £40,000 for the five years, from 1st January last.\n\n12. As regards the sum of about £9,000 for submarine mining works, which their Lordships desire should be demanded from the colony, Lord Knutsford would point out that when the conference accepted, as according to his recollection was the case, the recommendations of Sir Arthur Haliburton's Committee, no exception or reservation was made in respect either of this sum or of the payments on account of the new barracks. And in any case he would deprecate any demand on account of this sum, not only because no similar demand has been made upon any other colony, and no objection has been raised in Parliament, but also because the Colonial Legislature, in 1886, when voting a sum of £60,375 in addition to the original estimate of £55,625 for works, making together the sum of £116,000, did so on the distinct understanding that \"this vote shall be final for the military and defensive purposes of the colony,\" and although Her Majesty's Government never formally accepted this condition, yet if the demand for this £9,000 is pressed, the colony would naturally point to the resolution, and the difficulty would be considerably greater of obtaining the increased annual contribution, and the money necessary for the new barracks.\n\n13. For it must be remembered, that hitherto all barracks at Hong Kong have been built by the military authorities, and any demand upon the colony on that account will be unexpected, and give rise to much opposition. And there is a matter of considerable importance to which Lord Knutsford desires to draw their Lordships' attention. The colony has recently carried out, at enormous cost, certain large works for bringing into the town a copious supply of fresh water, of which the military and naval departments enjoy the benefit, without contributing to the cost of the works, and the colony may claim to set off a portion of this expenditure against demands which they consider unjust, seeing that the War Office and Admiralty pay only half rates for the water they use, and it is understood that the Admiralty have objected even to this. No such suggestion has yet been made by the Governor, and very possibly never will be made, but the circumstance should not be overlooked when considering the demands which it is judicious for Her Majesty's Government to put forward.\n\n14. It only remains to notice the 8th paragraph of the letter under reply, and to observe that if the Straits contribution has not been paid in sterling, this is due to the Treasury having refused to accept sterling in the first instance, and afterwards when the exchange turned in favour at the colony, to its having for years omitted to deal with a proposal from the Colonial Office, submitting a scheme, which, whatever may have been its merits, was at any rate an honest attempt to come to an arrangement upon the subject. Upon this question I am to refer you to the letter from this department of the 18th of September.\n\nI am, &c.,\n\nThe Secretary to the Treasury.\n\nJ. BRAMSTON.\n\nWar Office to Colonial Office.\n\nWar Office,\n\n30th November 1889.\n\nSir,\n\nWith reference to your letter of the 17th October 1889, respecting the provision of additional barrack accommodation at Hong Kong, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit herewith, for the information of Lord Knutsford, a copy of a letter* which has been addressed to the Treasury in regard to the sale of land in that colony, and I am to state that no trustworthy estimate of the cost of the barrack accommodation can yet be furnished, nor is it expected that a complete estimate can be so furnished for some length of time, as the amount of building will be considerable, and its plans, &c., will take a long time to prepare. Nor does the Secretary of State for War conceive that it will be possible to bind himself absolutely that the estimate will not be exceeded, though every effort will be made to adhere strictly to the figures quoted.\n\nThe variations in prices, and the necessary modifications of the plan in execution, render it impracticable to give an undertaking beyond this.\n\nThe plans, however, will be prepared and revised in this office upon the information available at the latest date, and with due regard to economy. The War Department also will have to bear half the cost beyond the proceeds of the sale of property, and it is clear that it will be to the interest of the War Department as much as to that of the colony, to keep the cost as low as possible.\n\nThe Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W.\n\nSir,\n\nI am, &c.,\n\nRALPH THOMPSON.\n\nColonial Office to War Office.\n\nColonial Office, Downing Street,\n\n16th January 1888.\n\nWith reference to your letter of the 8th December, I am directed by Secretary Hong Kong Sir H. Holland to acquaint you that Captain Morant, R.N., has attended at this office, and with Colonel Locock, R.E., and Mr. Bramston, of this department, discussed the questions connected with the proposed extension of the Hong Kong Praya, and received such valuable information from Sir George Phillippo, Chief Justice of the Colony, who, as chairman of a land commission, which has recently reported to the Governor, is well acquainted with all matters relating to land in Hong Kong.\n\n2. The position of affairs, as Sir H. Holland understands it, may briefly be stated as follows:-The population of the colony, which is almost entirely concentrated in the town of Victoria, numbered, according to the census of 1881, 160,402 persons, of whom no less than 150,690 were Chinese. This number is now very much larger, and is increasing at the estimated rate of some 10,000 a year; nearly all Chinese; and very great difficulty is found in providing them with house room. This difficulty is increased by the circumstance that the town, which extends in a long line along the harbour, is occupied about the middle of the line by the naval yard, and the barracks and other military buildings, which practically cut the town in two.\n\n3. The only communication between the eastern and western halves of the town is by the Queen's Road, a thoroughfare of moderate width, passing behind the naval yard and some of the military buildings, others of which are on the other side of the Queen's Road, some on the same level, some on a cliff which here abuts on the road, and effectually prevents any second road from being made there for relief of the traffic.\n\n4. For many years the Colonial authorities have desired to obtain such relief by reclaiming a portion of the harbour and building a sea wall and road on the harbour side of the naval and military establishments; but all negotiations on the subject have hitherto failed, the Admiralty and War Office refusing to contribute to the expense, and at the same time objecting to being deprived of their water frontage, which would necessarily follow if the land reclaimed from the harbour were retained by the Colonial Government and utilized for building purposes.\n\n5. The necessities of the colony have now become so urgent that a proposal was made to the Admiralty to accept a larger site at Kowloon in exchange for the present yard, which is already too small for naval requirements, and in front of which the water\n\n(217)\n\n*For copy of letter\n\nsee page 13.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 344451, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "page_number": 449, "title": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "content_text": "446\n\n18\n\nis shoaling rapidly owing to the accumulation of earth washed down from the hills through a nullah which enters the harbour at that part. The proposal was declined because expensive reclamation works are required before the site offered in exchange would be fully available, and the Admiralty were not prepared to apply to Parliament for the money necessary to make the reclamation, to erect the new buildings, and to remove the machinery, and establish the yard on the proposed site.\n\n6. Sir H. Holland, however, understands that if the Colonial Government were willing, at their own cost, to undertake the transfer of the machinery and establishment, making all necessary works, and erecting buildings of the same capacity and character as now exist in the present yard, the Admiralty might be disposed to surrender the present yard and buildings in exchange for the proposed site at Kowloon, with the new buildings and other works to be effected as above mentioned.\n\n7. Such an arrangement, however, between the Admiralty and the colony would not, under existing circumstances, be acceptable to the War Office if the colony desired to build over the site of the naval yard, and would, doubtless, not be entertained by the colony if they were not at liberty to make free use of that site and of any land reclaimed from the harbour. It is, therefore, suggested that the colony might seek to acquire some portion, at least, of the military buildings situated between the Queen's Road and the harbour.\n\n8. The naval yard is flanked on one side by the North Barracks and on the other by the commissariat buildings, the three together forming a large block of land of great value. The two military portions would fetch a high price in the market, possibly sufficient for erecting elsewhere new barracks and other buildings in place of the North Barracks and commissariat buildings, as well as the additional barracks which will be required for the increase in the garrison which is contemplated. It might, it seems to Sir H. Holland, be possible for an agreement to be come to between the War Office and the colony, by which the former, instead of selling these two sites, might arrange to hand them over to the colony in return for the erection of barracks and other buildings at suitable places higher up the hill, the colony being required to expend, unless the work could be done for less, a sum equal to the value of the sites of North Barracks and commissariat buildings, as ascertained beforehand by agreement or arbitration, after allowing for the value of any site which the colony may have to provide outside the War Department lands.\n\n9. Sir H. Holland has been informed, though the Governor has not yet made any report upon the subject, that a scheme is on foot in the colony for an extended reclamation in the western portion of the harbour, commencing it is said in the neighbourhood of Belcher's Point and ending at the Government Wharf (Murray Pier), near the North Barracks. If any scheme of this nature is to be carried out at the present time it would necessarily postpone for some time the removal of the naval yard and the North Barracks and commissariat buildings as above suggested; but if the Secretary of State for War is disposed to entertain the question of such removal, it would be desirable that the Governor should be made aware of the possibility of such an arrangement being made in the future.\n\n10. I am accordingly to ask that Sir H. Holland may be favoured with the observations of the Secretary of State for War upon the subjects referred to in this letter.\n\nI am, &c.,\n\nThe Under Secretary of State,\n\nWar Office.\n\nJOHN BRAMSTON.\n\nWar Office to Colonial Office.\n\nWar Office,\n\n20th January 1888.\n\nI have the honour, by direction of the Secretary of State for War, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant, respecting the proposed extension of the Hong Kong Praya, which shall receive attention. A further communication will be addressed to you on the subject.\n\n8\n\n1100\n\nThe Under Secretary of State,\n\nColonial Office, S.W.\n\nI have, &c.,\n\nRALPH THOMPSON.\n\n19\n\nCaptain Superintendent, Pembroke Dock, to Admiralty.\n\nExtension of Praya Wall, Hong Kong. Result of Committee Meeting at Colonial Office, on the 9th January 1888.\n\nHer Majesty's Dockyard, Pembroke Dock,\n\n11th January 1888.\n\n8\n\n1187\n\nSir,\n\n1. I have to report, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that in compliance with their directions expressed in your letters of the 4th and 5th instant, D.W. 4275 and 4278, I attended at the Colonial Office at 3.0 p.m., on Monday the 9th, and met there Mr. Bramston, of the Colonial Office, Sir G. Phillippo, Chief Justice of Hong Kong, and Colonel Locock, R.E., representing the War Office.\n\n2. Sir G. Phillippo opened the discussion by stating that the population of Hong Kong was so rapidly increasing, that on sanitary and commercial grounds the Colonial authorities at Hong Kong were of opinion that at no distant date it would be necessary to move to other suitable sites the naval and military establishments, now occupying a central position on the sea front, and, therefore, interrupting the traffic from east to west.\n\n3. I pointed out that, from a naval point of view, the building of the proposed Praya wall across the sea front of the dockyard would be most inconvenient, and would much impair the efficiency of the yard, except on the amended plan proposed by Sir William Dowell, K.C.B., in his letter, dated Amoy, 5th May 1884; and further, that the naval yards should be laterally extended by the War Department handing over to the Admiralty the North Barracks, now occupied by the Royal Artillery.\n\n4. Colonel Locock, R.E., stated that there would be no objection on the part of the War Department to handing over the North Barracks, or such portion of the ground as the Admiralty might require, provided Lots No. 21 and 22, and another Lot east of the commissariat buildings, were handed over to the War Department by the colony, and the Admiralty paid the necessary money for acquiring the site, and erecting the buildings, &c.\n\n5. The Chief Justice, on the other hand, was decidedly of opinion that it was necessary for the colony that the North Barracks, naval yard, and at least as far as Wellington Barracks on the sea front of the Queen's Road, should be handed over to the colony, with no restrictions as to the purposes the land might be used for. If this were agreed to, he would be prepared to recommend to the Colonial Government that the land at Kowloon, as per plans enclosed in the Surveyor-General's letter of 5th March 1887, should be reclaimed, and the necessary barracks, buildings, storehouses, sheds, factory, and the machinery placed therein as now in the naval yard at Hong Kong, should be erected thereon, and handed over to the Admiralty free of all costs, in exchange.\n\n6. Sir G. Phillippo, in the course of his remarks, stated he believed that a new scheme had been started, and that it had the approval of the Local Government, which is to extend the present Praya wall from Belcher's Bay to Murray Pier (a point immediately west of the North Barracks) for a considerable distance into the sea, I believe about 100 yards. Should this be finally carried out, Sir George was of opinion that for the present the available money of the colony would be exhausted, and the proposed extension of the Praya eastward, past the naval and military establishments, would not at present be proceeded with; firstly, for want of funds; secondly, that sufficient land for immediate wants would be made available by the reclamation.\n\n7. I would point out, for their Lordships' consideration, that if this latter scheme is carried out, I am of opinion the silting up of the sea front of the naval yard, which has been going on for years, and has already proved of considerable inconvenience to the naval Service, would be very much accelerated, as the new Praya wall would interrupt the little tide which now assists in clearing away a portion of the large amount of debris that in rainy seasons is washed down from the hill sides, and silts up the sea front of this part of the harbour.\n\n8. My letter, dated the 15th of March 1887, to the Commander-in-Chief in China, and which is within the enclosed papers, gives plainly my opinion on the subject of the removal of the naval yard to Kowloon, and its advantages; this, taken with the knowledge that it seems next to impossible to extend the yard in its present position, and if some arrangement is not soon agreed upon, that in a short time the land now offered at Kowloon may not be available, except at an enormous cost, I would...\n\n1", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 344452, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "page_number": 450, "title": "CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890", "content_text": "447\n\n20\n\nfurther bring under their Lordships' notice, that if this transfer is favourably considered by them, that some arrangement should be come to with the Colonial Government that the Admiralty should, as now, be always enabled to have as much fresh water from Victoria as they may require, as the Colonial Government have practically an unlimited supply of the purest water, whereas at Kowloon the supply is entirely from wells sunk by the occupiers, and which in a dry season is apt to give out.\n\n9. I believe that Mr. Brameton and Sir G. Phillippo thoroughly understand and agree that the present naval yard (should the transfer be approved of) would be at the service of the Admiralty until such time as the new site is ready for occupation.\n\n10. I am further of opinion that it would be desirable to exchange some of the land at the back of the new Kowloon site, on which small garden allotments are marked, for the hill marked B, with the War Department, as this site being high would, from a sanitary point of view, be probably more desirable for building residences on if required, besides its being a commanding situation, and as the War Department have never used it up to the present, probably it would suit them to have the land more immediately adjoining their property.\n\n11. I again attended at the Colonial Office at the same hour on the 10th instant, and met Mr. Branston, Colonel Locock, and Colonel Lloyd, R.E., the latter having been the Officer superintending the Admiralty works at Hong Kong during the earlier part of my command there; nothing further was settled on the naval point, but Colonel Locock stated that he was of opinion that there would be no objection on the part of the War Department to hand over the land seaward of the Queen's Road, west of the Wellington Barracks (which includes the North Barracks), to the colony, receiving the money value to be expended on new buildings.\n\n12. To facilitate reference I have taken out from the numerous letters bearing on this subject those I have referred to, also the plan.\n\n13. The remainder of the papers received with your letter of the 4th instant, D.W. 4275, are returned by parcel post.\n\nThe Secretary of the Admiralty.\n\nD.W. 4546.\n\nSir,\n\nI have, &c.,\n\nGEO. DIGBY MORANT, Captain,\n\nSuperintendent.\n\nAdmiralty,\n\nAdmiralty to War Office.\n\n8th August, 1888. I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to forward here- Hong Kong with the accompanying correspondence relative to the proposed extension of the Praya wall at Hong Kong, and I am to request that you will be so good as to move the Secretary of State for War to favour their Lordships with any remarks which he may have to make upon the proposed scheme.\n\n8\n\n1169\n\nI am farther to request that the enclosures, which are in original, may be returned with your reply.\n\nThe Under Secretary of State for War.\n\nI am, &c.,\n\nEVAN MACGREGOR.\n\n21\n\nto the health and prosperity of Hong Kong; and I may observe that the removal of the naval establishments to Kowloon (the alternative scheme suggested) has proved, on further inquiry, to be impracticable, except at a cost wholly beyond the means of the colony.\n\nI should therefore be greatly obliged by your Excellency's early consideration of this subject, and also if you will kindly communicate to me, orally or otherwise, the substance of any report on the subject which you may propose to make to the Lords of the Admiralty.\n\nI have, &c.,\n\nG. W. DES VEUX, Governor.\n\nHis Excellency Vice-Admiral\n\nSir Nowell Salmon, K.C.D., V.C.,\n\n$0.\n\n&C.,\n\n&c.\n\nEnclosure 2 in China Letter No. 146 of 8th May, 1888.\n\n\"Audacious,\" at Hong Kong,\n\n11th April, 1888. In reply to your letter, No. 35 G, I have examined into the scheme for extending the Praya in front of the naval dockyard and, taken generally, shall have no objection to submit it for consideration to the Admiralty.\n\nSir,\n\n2. The plan enclosed is, however, somewhat deficient in detail; so, before doing so, I should be glad to be assured on the following points, viz.:-\n\n(1.) That the roadway and bridge be sufficiently walled in, not only to prevent trespassing on the Admiralty property, but also as a security against theft of Government stores.\n\n(2.) That the Admiralty have the sole right of entry into the Camber.\n\n(3.) That the existing sewers be carried out beyond the line of the new sea wall.\n\n(4.) That the shore in front of the carpenters' shed and timber store be carried out 20 feet and sloped down to low water mark, with hauling-up slip for large boats, as at present.\n\n(5.) That the width of the new jetty be 80 feet, and the shears be removed there.\n\n(6.) That the Camber be dredged out to 10 feet.\n\n3. On receiving assurance that these points will be included in the scheme, I will lose no time in forwarding it.\n\nHis Excellency\n\nSir G. Wm. des Voeux, K.C.M.G.,\n\n&o., &c., &c., Hong Kong.\n\nI am, &c.,\n\nNOWELL SALMON, Vice-Admiral.\n\nEnclosure 3 in China Letter No. 146 of 8th May 1888.\n\nM\n\n26\n\nNo. 35 G.\n\nSir,\n\nEnclosure No. 1 in China Letter 146 of 8th May 1888.\n\nGovernment House, Hong Kong,\n\n7th April 1888.\n\nI have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying plan of the proposed Praya embankment in front of the Royal Naval Yard recently prepared by the Surveyor-General and Major Brooke, Engineer to the Admiralty, and to request your Excellency, if you approve of the design, to recommend it to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for adoption, the colony defraying the cost of its execution.\n\nYour Excellency is probably by this time aware that the early settlement of this long-pending question has become of urgent, I may say of gravely urgent, importance\n\nSir,\n\nGovernment House, Hong Kong,\n\n23rd April 1888.\n\nI have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letter of the No. 41 G. 11th instant, on the subject of the proposed Praya extension in front of the naval yard, and to convey to your Excellency my thanks for your promise to lose no time in placing the matter before the Admiralty.\n\n2. With regard to the points as to which your Excellency desires further assurance, I have pleasure in informing you as follows:-\n\n(1.) The proposed bridge and roadway will be fenced on both sides by a wall or parapet, with the object, among others, of preventing trespassing on Admiralty property.\n\n(247)\n\nG\n\nPage 450\n\nPage 451", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-248 - Public Offices & Others - 1890.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 } ]