My dear Sir,
I received your letter regarding your position at Hongkong.
Some years ago, J. Bridges asked me whether I thought it would be of any use in my power to help you.
Dated 18th January 1857
I am most willing to offer you advice or cheering words from conversations held with you and from what I have observed.
You are all the more so when that man is a good staff, and carrying out functions beyond the capacity imposed on others. In my opinion, the Secretary should be supported by more than just himself.
The situation you describe is how the Colony is managed, as you and I have observed.
To hold an office, and a challenging one at that, you must subtract £104 per annum from your income. When the hot weather commences, you will be further obliged to keep two or three coolies, which will take away £30.
Private practice is, in your case, quite out of the question, as your official duties must more than occupy your time. The price of everything in the Colony is on the rise, and in the most moderate times, I do not consider that a man in your position could have the necessities of life for less than £400 a year.
With the hot weather will also come a more limited supply for attending to business. I have no hesitation in considering that every day you remain in the Colony is more likely to add to your difficulties than to free you from them.
You state...
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It appears that the original text was heavily affected by OCR errors. I have made the necessary corrections to make the text readable while following the given instructions. The original text seems to be a letter discussing the challenges faced by the recipient in their position in Hong Kong, including financial difficulties and the high cost of living.