Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 308

No. 863.

( 14 )

Enclosure 3.

(Colonial Secretary to Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 29th June, 1888.

SIR.

With reference to your letter of the 11th instant, respecting the proposed Light-house on Gap Rock I am directed by the Governor to inform you that this Government accepts the terms offered therein subject to the assent of Her Majesty's Government, which has been asked for by telegraph; and I am to request you to be good enough to convey to Sir ROBERT HART the thanks of this Government for procuring these terms from the Chinese Government, which though not in all res- pects as satisfactory as might be desired, are, His Excellency doubts not, the most favourable which could have been obtained.

I am to add that the Surveyor General has been instructed to put himself in direct communication with you, as soon as the assent of Her Majesty Government has been received, with a view to arrangements for the commencement of the work at the carliest possible date.

I have &c.,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Colonial Secretary.

F. A. MORGAN, Esq.,

Commissioner of Chinese Customs,

KOWLOON.

No. 920.

SIR,

Enclosure 4.

(Colonial Secretary to Commissioner of Chinese Customs, Kowloon.)

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 6th July, 1888.

Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of the proposed Light- house at the Gap Rock, I am directed by the Governor to inform you that, if the Chinese Customs Authorities require it, this Government will, of course, erect at the place in question a Light-house exactly in accordance with the description contained in His Excellency's letter to Sir JOHN WALSHAM, specifying the alternative proposals, the Light-house in fact which the Customs had in contemplation in offering the terms accepted in my letter dated the 29th ultimo.

It has however, been represented to the Governor that in view of the difficulty of access to the Gap Rock, the cost and time required for the completion of the work could be considerably lessened if a fixed light were adopted instead of a flashing light. The latter with its clock-work apparatus, driven by descending weights, would require a tower of sufficient height to give the necessary drop to the weights; whereas a fixed light requiring no tower, its adoption would greatly reduce the difficulties and delays attendant on the landing of large quantities of building materials.