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regard to the case of Colonies with representative institutions and considering the peculiar circumstances of Hongkong I trust I may be pardoned if I offer a few remarks to your Lordship on the points of the Circular.
The Governor of Hongkong has always communicated in his own name with the Senior Naval Officer of whatever rank the Senior Naval Officer might be. I have even known a Clerk in charge of this latter Officer but of course this under present circumstances (a Captain R.N. being permanently stationed here in Command of the Dock Yard) is by no means likely to recur.
The instruction that the Governor is to communicate directly with Officers below the rank of Commander is duly noted, but it is here that I wish with all respect to point out that the Circular instructions are at variance with past practice here, and could hardly be carried out without great inconvenience. In the first place Officers below the rank of Commander are to communicate on official matters with the Governor's Private Secretary and in the next place it is ruled that the Colonial Secretary's Office shall not be the place of deposit for ...
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