the same date, I have the honor to request His Excellency to forward, by this Mail, the enclosed Duplicate Original (No. 1) of my letter of this date to the Secretary of State, and to accept my Protest against any detention of the same
the 16th instant to the Letter of or of my same Minister, until next or any future mail for Europe.
I have, &c.
(signed) T. (overboardnoty) AG.
The Honorable the Acting Hongkong Colonial Secretary
a note
[the above letter has not been acknowledged otherwise than by initials in my messenger's book.]
T.H.A.
23rd August 1858.
Appendix
Appendix B
20th August 1858.
Hong Kong
124
B
in reference to Communication C of yesterday, and its enclosure (still unacknowledged) addressed to the Secretary of State, I have to ask His Excellency's attention to another proof of irregular connection between members of the Executive Council, and the most scurrilous member of the local press, in last night's China Mail.
The solemn obligation of secrecy towards confidential papers had been long ago set aside, when you, Sir, laid before its editor the said papers and were consequently afterwards obliged to lay before the Colony, by the Attorney General to the Organ of the Government, the subject of the Coolie Trade, and the stringent measures needed to prevent evasion of the Act of Parliament by certain houses here.
But I was not prepared to find the secret resolves and intentions of the Executive Council and its members published to the world, in the China Mail of the past night, with regard to my suspension. I learn for the first time, why I am suspended, or rather the pretext which is now to be set up: