may
be the decision Her Majesty's Government may be pleased to come to on your appeal - he should esteem any arrangement, grounded however remotely, on the principle alluded to in Captain Poet's letter to
your address of the 17th of June, 1841 - of which you have thought it worth while to submit a Copy -
to be utterly inapplicable to the present state and future prospects of this Colony and obviously and wholly unjust towards the rights of the Crown Having thus explained to you the sentiments of the Governor in Council, I am desired to add that looking to the Instructions from England, although it has not been considered that a positive stipulation on the subject could be introduced into the Leases, yet Her Majesty's
Government,
No: GR635
Government will be moved to place
on record that it shall be understood that at the expiration of the present Leases, the offers of the occupants of the different premises shall have a preference over all others (cæteris paribus) and that they shall be allowed to renew their Leases, on favorable terms, for such further period as may then be deemed just and expedient.
I have the
be
(Signed) Richard O'Horman.
Captain D'Aguilar
Sir
Assistant Military Secretary, &c.
Victoria,
Hongkong, March 9 = 1844
Sam directed by His Excellency
the
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