M. Mercer, asking for the provision of an office wherein to conduct public business, which application M. Mercer stated could not be complied with;
That your Memorialist endeavoured to discharge his duties. A memorialist prepared and forwarded at the earliest moment a letter to the Colonial Secretary, which letter (No. 1 appended hereto) your Memorialist stated his requirements by letter addressed to His Excellency Sir John Bowring.
That His Excellency Sir John Bowring expressed his disinclination to continuing to discharge his duties or support himself; to His Excellency Sir John Bowring, the impossibility of any longer contending against the difficulties in which he was placed, until, finding such growing greater, he subsequently took occasion to represent, with increased solicitation.
That notwithstanding the want of success attending your Memorialist's application, or alteration of duties; sanctioning any increase of salary; or discouraging any hope of the Home Government's difficulties of his position; the tendency of this Excellency's observations being to afford him any relief from the expressing his regret at being unable to comply in any respect with your Memorialist's application.
That in such letter His Excellency replied personally by continuing to discharge his duties, which was permitted so to do by a temporary cessation of duties growing daily more onerous.
That your Memorialist, with most reluctant resignation, the aforesaid applications to Sir John Bowring, was still unable to continue the struggle with, and the utter inadequacy of his salary to meet expenses, until a time to contend against the difficulties created by an excess of duties which you were pleased to appoint him and endeavoured for any degree of justice to himself or due regard of the proper discharge of the public service.
That acting on the advice of friends of experience in the Colony (including your Memorialist's medical adviser, who considered Memorialist's health suffering more from labour than from the effect of climate) your Memorialist was at length compelled to tender his resignation to His Excellency Sir John Bowring in the letter, No. 2, appended hereto, to which Memorialist respectfully solicits your attention.
Your Memorialist begs leave to lay respectfully before you the following Estimate of Official expenses which he has carefully prepared upon the lowest possible scale, and from which you will perceive how greatly and manifestly inadequate was the salary of £300 per annum to maintain your Memorialist's position in Hong Kong.
Rent of an Office Per Month 100 Salaries of one European and one Chinese Bailiffs, the latter to act as Interpreter 60 abt £66 Per Month 150 Salary of one Office Coolie 35 90 To convey messages and for other incidental duties 12 Making a Total for Annual Official expenses of £318Your Memorialist begs to state that in calculating expenses and income he is willing to estimate the fees of Deputy Sheriff
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