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It has been a British Colony since the late C. S. Medlin arrived with Anthony Kay on 21st April 1861 and remained here until 26th Jan 1862. During the whole of which time he did not do private practice. He was on the latter date sent to Shanghai on duty, at which place his death occurred. The Surveyor General (who had hitherto engaged several persons in all their works but was on the eve of leaving for England) being about to enter upon some extensive works of Hong Kong, and some of the Treaty Ports, thought it would be to their interest to add to their staff an Architect who would be entirely at their command; the head of their branch at Shanghai has made an offer to W. Medlin for him to enter their service at a salary of £1000 per annum with board and lodging! Of course to Medlin whose pay in the Dept was but £369, the offer was tempting and he sent in his resignation for acceptance in the usual way, coupled with the offer to pay the passage out of his successor.
His resignation was duly accepted by the home authorities without the latter condition. The services of both W Storey and his son who at the time held appointments in the Surveyor General's Dept, and were also engaged in private practice, were, it is true, available and could have been more quickly obtained than those of Mr. Medlin.
In conclusion I would beg to remark that it does seem somewhat peculiar that Mr. Storey should complain of any persons holding Govt appointments doing private practice.