-F
ON RESIGNATION,
113 513
will not deem my conduct deserving of censure, and that they will find I have fulfilled the trust reposed in me.
I beg to inclose copies of my correspondence on the subject.
I have, &c.,
R. M. MARTIN.
No. XV.-To James Stephen, Esq., Under-Secretary of State for
Sir,
the Colonies.
H. M. Treasury, Hong Kong, July 8, 1845.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a letter and its inclosures, which I have this day addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, through Governor Davis.
I respectfully solicit that his Lordship will suspend decision respect- ing my conditional resignation of the office of Treasurer here, until I reach England, to which I am proceeding, viâ Egypt, by the fastest sailing vessel in China (the "Lanrick"), in the hope of reaching Bom bay in time for the overland steamer of 27th August.
thave, &c
R. M. MARTIN.
96
BRITISH POSITION
be worthy the achievement of Britain, and that even failure in the attempt be no disgrace, but the reverse, then ought we to proceed very differently from the course which has hitherto been adopted: nay, more, a perseverance in our present course can bring with it no advantages; it will not even obtain security for our tea trade, although the Chinese are more interested in preserving that branch of commerce than the English are; and when war and anarchy have overspread and desolated China, we shall find, when too late, that we have lost even that for which we had forfeited every individual and national good,
It is yet time to retrieve some of the errors of the past. Ere Chusan be evacuated in January next, we have the means in our power of arranging those measures which wisdom, mercy to China, and sound policy to ourselves would dictate.
Some of these measure have been briefly shadowed forth in the previous pages, and if required, be more amply developed.
can,
Happy will the writer feel, if in the fulfilment of his duty to his sovereign he has been permitted to aid in awakening Britain to a true sense of her position in China, to a consciousness of what is due to her- self, and at the same time beneficial to others; and to a strenuous effort for maintaining a national supremacy in the East as well as in the West, which is essentially conducive to the welfare of all mankind.
R. M. MARTIN.
Hong Kong, April 19, 1845.
Inclosure 1 in No. XV.
To his Excellency John Francis Davis, Esq., Governor of Hong Kong.
Sir,
H. M. Treasury, Hong Kong,
July 8, 1845.
I HAVE the honour to solicit that your Excellency will be pleased to transmit the accompanying letter and its inclosures to the Right Hon- ourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, at your earliest con- venience.
I have, &c.,
Inclosure 2 in No. XV.
R. M. MARTIN.
To the Right Hon. Lord Stanley, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.
H. M. Treasury, Hong Kong,
July 8, 1845.
My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to solicit your Lordship's perusal of the inclosed correspondence with Governor Davis, and a consideration of the follow- ing statement.
I
No. VIII.-To C. E. Trevelyan, Esq., Secretary to the Rt. Hon. the Lords Commissioners of H. M.'s Treasury.
Sir,
H. M. Treasury, Hong Kong,
April 25, 1845.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, a copy of a " Minute on the British Position and Prospects in China," which I laid before Governor Davis on the 19th instant, and which has been transmitted Denia," on the 22nd by his Excellency to the Earl of Aberdeen per
instant.
"
The British expenditure on the coast of China will doubtless be materially influenced by a just exposition of our present position and future prospects; and in this point of view I trust my be deemed unacceptable to their Lordships.
labours
may not
I may conscientiously add, that in writing this minute, but one object pervaded my mind, the welfare of my country, and the exten- sion of her power and influence, on Christian principles, for the advan- tage of China.