23 FEBRUARY 1895, Page 17

THE WARNING OF WEI-HAI-WEI.

[To TIM EDITOR OP THE " SPECTETHE...] Sin.—In your article in the Spectator of February 16th on " The Warning of Wei-hai-wei," you refer to the importance of our possessing an arsenal of our own in a harbour we can defend. Do we not in British North Borneo posst BS the Bay ef Sandabran, said by those acquainted with it to be one of the finest harbours in the world ? The mouth of the harbour is one and a quarter mile wide, its length is fifteen miles, and it possesses numerous fine anchorages. The capital of British North Borneo, Sandabran, is on its northern shore, and there is a plentiful supply of excellent drinking-water. At Elopura, Fort Pryer guards the entrance of the harbour, and some parts of the bay have been thoroughly surveyed by the

Admiralty. Would it not be better to utilise what is already in our possession than to negotiate for the possession of territory belonging to another Power P—I am, Sir, &c.,

Southorer Grange, Lewes, SuEse.r. ISABEL THORN.