My dear Sir,
Hong Kong, 17 February 1857.
I believe there can be but one opinion as to the course that was left open to you. The salary allowed was quite out of the question as your duties were so numerous as to leave you no time to attend to private practice; my residence here, of between ten and eleven years, has shown me that the Colony is a most expensive one, and my profession enables me to express an opinion of the amount of Official duty you had to perform. I consider £300 a year too little for you to maintain yourself upon in this place, leaving office rent and Clerks (no small items) entirely out of the question.
Wishing you a pleasant passage home, and different success for the future than had attended your visit here,
Believe me, your very truly,
W. J. Janant.
Hong Kong, 17 February 1857.
I exceedingly regret that we are so soon to lose you from amongst our limited society in this Colony, however sincerely I trust that the change will operate for your welfare and future prospects in a very different manner to what your advent here has turned out; with the salary and such emoluments as might arise to you from the several situations that were conferred upon you, some of them free from official duty, I am certain that you would not have been able to support yourself in this expensive place on the most economical scale of living.
Scamens Hospital, February 11, 1857.
My dear Mr. Hickson,
In writing to you, I must express my regret at your early departure, which deprives the Colony of your services and myself of a friend. I cannot help feeling that the arduous and conflicting duties heaped upon you have been totally inadequate to your efforts as a Government official. As a Medical adviser, however, I must view your retirement with satisfaction, during the last six weeks while under my treatment, I have seen you suffer much from the effect of climate & exertion, increased as to render and when the summer comes these sufferings will be so much increased as to render your stay here impossible. I do not hesitate to recommend you to take the earliest opportunity that offers itself to leave.
And wishing you a favourable voyage,
[...]
And from the fact of no Clerks or assistants being allowed you, I have continued to feel that it was morally impossible for you to perform your duties, especially during the heat of the summer months, even if your health had continued robust. I feel also that not a cent less than £600 per annum would have enabled you to support your position with comfort and any thing like ease to yourself. I have been a resident here for eleven years.
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