in the Colonial Secretary's Office the 30th December, 1846, Sir John Davis appointed me Clerk of the Executive and Legislative Councils of the Colony, which occasion, and before the Executive Council presided over by him, I took the requisite Oath of Allegiance to Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen. The Right Honorable The Earl Grey confirmed me in
in this appointment on the 13th March 1847. "Under the administration of Sir George Bonham, I acted as Colonial Secretary of Hongkong from the 16th October to the 24th November 1851; -- and in February 1854, His Grace The Duke of Newcastle recommended me (of for that Post, which was then vacant by the promotion of Colonel Caine to Lieutenant Governor of the Colony.)
My length of Service is at this date upwards of 19 years, and during this long period I have been absent from the Colony chiefly when necessitated by Sickness, and that absence, (as shown in the annual Blue Book), has been as follows:
In 1844 – Six weeks – on sick leave.
1845 – Six weeks
1850 – 35 days – on sick leave.
1852 - Three months and 12 days, – on sick leave
1854 – 5 Days
I have been thus minute in my statement in order to secure the support of Her Majesty's Representative to my present application to be naturalized as a subject of Great Britain by Act of Parliament; and