Sessional_Paper_1891 — Page 401

HONGKONG.

No. 175.

397

No. 31

.91

HONGKONG.

DESPATCHES RESPECTING MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, on the 5th October, 1891.

Secretary of State to the Officer Administering the Government.

DOWNING STREET,

SIR,

4th August, 1891.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 166 of 28th May last, forwarding a protest from three of the Un-official Members of the Council against the payment of the lapsed portion of the Military Contribution for 1890, before it had been re-voted by the Council.

I regret that the Council was not informed, when asked to re-vote the money, that it had been already paid in anticipation of the re-vote, which should have been taken first.

I have the honour to be.

Sir,

Your most obedient,

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

HONGKONG. No. 178.

SIR,

humble Servant.

KNUTSFORD.

Secretary of State to the Officer Administering the Government.

DOWNING STREET,

5th August, 1891.

China Association to C.O., 13th May.

I have had under my consideration Sir G. W. DES Vaux's Despatch No. 103 of the 7th of April last, enclosing a protest from the Un-official Members of the Council against the payment of the increased Military Contribution for the present, on the ground that the full garrison is not yet quartered in Hongkong.

2. I have also had before me a letter from the China Association on the same

C.O. to China Association, subject, of which I enclose a copy for your information, together with a copy of

the letter which I have caused to be addressed to the Association in reply.

6th August.

3. It appears to be admitted that the Colony is well able to bear a charge of £40,000; that the claim is not unduly large; and that it would have been cheer- fully paid if the complete garrison had been present, instead of a portion of the garrison only, which portion, however, costs about £170,000 a year, or more than four times the Colonial contribution towards its cost.