Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 181

No. 82/G.

SIR,

9

(Governor to General Officer Commanding.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

175

HONGKONG, 19th September, 1899.

I have the honour to forward to Your Excellency the enclosed copy of a letter addressed by the Chairman of the Jubilee Committee to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the subject of the projected road round the Island of Hongkong which was intended to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty's Accession.

I shall be glad to receive from Your Excellency any remarks on this subject which you may feel disposed to offer.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

His Excellency

Major-General W. J. GASCOIGNE, C.M.G.,

&c.,

fo.,

&c.

HENRY A. BLAKE, Governor, &c.

(Minute by the General Officer Commanding.)

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

I do not know that I have anything to add to my previous remarks.

It was a matter of regret to me that the first opinion I was called upon to express officially after my arrival in the Colony should be unfavourable to a scheme which it appeared was desired by a large number of residents.

There can be no question whatever that the making of this road would not be a source of strength, in a defensive sense, but rather the reverse.

It would be an increase of anxiety, and would probably necessitate some alteration in the scheme of defence. Therefore, any Military Commauder, if asked whether he preferred that the road should or should not be made, would be bound to reply that he preferred that it should not be. At the same time if Your Excel- lency informed me that to make this road would satisfy a great and pressing need for the Colony generally, I should not consider the Military objections to be so imperative as to necessitate my urgent protest against it.

I can add nothing more to this.

W. J. GASCOIGNE,

Major-General.

22nd September, 1899.