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Convenient to deal with the whole subject in one letter.
Jan
I am accordingly to request that you will acquaint the Earl of Carnarvon that General Peel finds from the Correspondence which has ensued since the adoption of the proposals communicated to the Colonial Office Department on 20th June last, that both in the letter from this Office and in that from the Major General Commanding in June, and in that from His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief have expressed themselves extremely averse to the maintenance of so small a body of European troops at Hong Kong as the wing of a Regiment, unless supplemented by a corps of native troops, at least 1000 strong.
And under these circumstances, and as Lord Carnarvon is aware, the Major General Commanding in Egypt has, in a very able report, protested against the reduction of the Garrison of that Island to the extent recommended by the late Commission on Military Expenditure, General Peel has come to the conclusion, after repeated consultations with His Royal Highness on the subject, that the