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fairly be expected to do something in their time for a cause that is not and ought not to be regarded lightly under the scheme, which certainly should not be regarded as being worked out at the sole expense of the inhabitants for the time being of this small Island.
40.
Whilst I therefore must respectfully suggest the unfairness of compelling the residents of Hong Kong to defray all the cost of solving this interesting Problem in Political Economy, I would venture to hope that Her Majesty's Government will consent to maintain the Establishment at Imperial expense for a period at least sufficient to test the views of the neighboring Governments and thoroughly work out the experiment.
Hopefully, we can place it in a condition enabling it to reap every advantage from favorable chances when they occur.
Mr. Kinder reports the average working power of the Mint now to be 50,000 dollars daily, enabled, during his long season of repose, to thoroughly perfect and finish them and put them together. He has discovered that they can turn out as many, though not so well, as the French Prefecture, with an average of 15,000 dollars each. That something disastrous no doubt ought to have been discovered sooner, and its accuracy should have been got.
41.
It is not so reliable as might be wished because of Mr. Kinder's sanguine temperament.