My son's arrival has however placed matters on a satisfactory footing and I doubt not that they will proceed satisfactorily in future.
In reply to Mr Merin's observations that the Governor (of Hongkong) has for several years received regular notice of the amounts voted by Parliament for the service of the Colony. I beg to state that for the years 1855 and 1886 there has been no Parliamentary vote and that the two last votes of £10,000 each, have been for special services - one for expenses directly growing out of the war with Canton - the other for objects particularly pointed out by the books.
The Parliamentary Papers for the Diplomatic Service have been accessible to everybody - and no doubt should have been the guide, not only for the issues but for the records of the Commissioners! And that it would have been better if the accounts of the Colony had been kept wholly distinct from those of the Superintendency Department, so as to prevent the possibility of confusion.
I desired Mr. Forth some months ago to open a separate account with the Oriental Bank Corporation for the business of the Superintendency which he has done and for the...