Harbor Master's Office Hong Kong 1st April 1857
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th ult. No. 197, in reply to my application of the 5th ult. in which you inform me that my letter will be forwarded to the Home authorities by the next mail, and that in the mean time the Honorable the Governor is able to place at my disposal two rooms in the late Harbor-Master's office which will not be required for hospital purposes at present, the contingency of my paying rent for the same will depend upon the pleasure of the Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Your letters, Nos. 173 of 7th July, and 174 of 8th July, have acquainted me that it was intended to convert into a civil Hospital the Building hitherto used as the office of the Harbor Master and Marine Magistrate, and which apart from the Eastern rooms of the ground-floor of the Court House for that purpose.
On communicating with the Colonial Surgeon I found there would be no accommodation in the Court House appropriated to my residence; and as the Colonial Surgeon led me to understand that he was to have apartments at this place when converted into a hospital, I had no alternative, pending a reference to the Honorable H.M. Secretary of State for the Colonies, but to seek for a house, which after some time owing to the great demand for Houses, I succeeded in obtaining, and this, independent of any other reasons, will I hope be a sufficient excuse for my respectfully declining the offer of the two rooms here under the conditions proposed.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
M. Jukes
To
W. T. Bridges Esq.
Colonial Secretary
$Page 451
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