42.
(Boyley),
United States' Consulate
191-3.
Hongkong, Bettler 26 # 1865.
My Dear Sir,
Cove
At a late hour I received your note of yesterday, and beg leave to offer in excuse for not replying sooner the multiplicity of my duties since that time. I regret exceedingly, that His Excellency, Sir Hercules Robinson, has taken the view expressed in your letter, but I must, in justice to myself, and to a time-honoured principle of our Government, - a principle heretofore generally respected by the functionaries of the British Government, and always deemed by our representatives and people necessary to be sustained for the protection of our citizens, and the interests of our Commerce, to respectfully reiterate my protest
-AL
1