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7. It may be useful if I refer to some of the more important matters with which the Imperial Institute is in a special position to deal :—
(a) Investigations as to the value of new or little known raw materials for com-
mercial purposes.
(b) Chemical analyses, assays and valuations of raw materials, such as fibres, rub- bers, oil-seeds, waxes, food-stuffs, tanning materials, essential and fixed oils, gums, resins, drugs, tobaccos, soils, minerals, ores, waters, fuels, etc., etc. (c) The technical testing of rubber, timbers, cotton, fibres, cements, and other
materials.
(d) Identifications of vegetable and mineral substances.
8. I am informed that the Managing Committee are not prepared at present to suggest any actual scale of fees which could meet the variety of cases which are likely to occur. The fee must be arranged between the Institute and the individuals or firms who require investigations to be made. The matter will be in the hands of the Director, who will from time to time report to the Managing Committee the fee proposed in any special case in which this cannot be determined by ordinary practice.
9. I believe that the adoption of the plan I have indicated will increase the usefulness of the Imperial Institute to the manufacturing and industrial communities of all countries of the Empire and, as it will doubtless be of importance to the residents of the Colony/Pro- tectorate under your government, I shall be glad if you will take steps to make the arrange ment I have sanctioned widely known, either by publishing this despatch in whole or part in the Official Gazette or in such other way as may seem to you to be most effective.
The Officer Administering the Government of
I have, &c.,
HONGKONG.
L. HARCOURT.