at this exigency
unfortunately rendered nearly nugatory by a variety of circumstances over which I have no control, irrespectively of the great and irremediable public and private loss which has, by the Divine Will, fallen
on Her Majesty's
Service in this quarter of the Globe, by the death of alls, Herrian.
Her Majesty's Government will readily understand, that no persons qualified to hold or fill, situations beyond those of
Common
Clerks, or
House
Copyists, in Counting Offices (and even very few of them) have hitherto found their way to this distant Colony, without having some express and prearranged object in view, and the consequence is that proper men for any of the higher and more responsible grades of appointments in Her Majesty's Service are not to be had. This
obstacle to my obtaining efficient assistance in China is, as Your Lordship will at once perceive, greatly added to, and strengthened, by the tenor of My Instructions both from the Foreign and Colonial Office which desire that
appointments which I may make shall be expressly understood to be temporary
Had this not been the case, I might have been able to hold forth better
inducements to individuals
in the spot to take public employment, and even to have encouraged qualified Officers (from several of whom I have received private applications, tendering their Services, to come in from India, but whom it could not be expected
would go
to the expense and trouble of visiting China, on the mere chance of my having it
in my power to provide for them.
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