Had any of these proposals been adopted and followed up, it is obvious that the present difficulty would have been in a great degree if not wholly averted, and although the responsibility would have been considerable I was
willing to incur it, from my personal observation and conviction of its necessity. Subsequently I was prohibited from any kind of interference in such matters
Instructions and the arrival of on the part of the Master General of the Ordnance (Major Aldrich) - who proposed to remedy the deficiency by appropriating to the public use, at assumed value in some cases, and without remuneration in others, the houses and property of certain firms and individuals. To this proposal I refused to give effect without positive orders
even then had orders from Home, but Officer's Houses had been commenced on they might I should suppose have been already ere this time.
I may conclude by adding that I should consider the system of billets to be wholly inadmissible in the present state of this Colony, and therefore under no circumstances could I concur in its adoption.
I have to
(Signed) Henry Pottinger
Captain D'Aguilar,
Sir,
Victoria, Hongkong.
January 26th 1844.
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I am directed by His Excellency-