This Ordinance corresponds,
except as regards a few mere verbal alterations, with the draft which accompanied your Despatch of the 8th July last.
The Legislative Council were unanimous in their approval of the proposed undertaking, which is hailed with satisfaction by the Chamber of Commerce at this Port, and I believe by the Mercantile Community generally throughout China.
I regret however to observe that the first establishment of the Hong Kong Mint is likely to involve a much larger outlay than I anticipated when in England. Papers connected with the establishment of the Mint in New South Wales were kindly furnished to me by the Master of the Royal Mint in London, from which I understood that the total cost of the Sydney Mint, including the freight of Machinery and plant from Home, but exclusive of the actual erection of the Buildings, was about £18,000; but I gather from the accompanying extract from a letter received yesterday that