communication
:ation from himself, as he is at present absent at Shanghai, but rather
from what I know of his general
character.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most obedient
humble
servant
Rutherford Alcock
Mr Elliot
in the case
that the Foreign Office Papers
of the Prince Albert are with
the Sovereign
7903.
the F.O. letter
I have written
Perhaps this despatch will
in some way affect
it. What you
The Correspondence between
Sir R M « Si X A
it is worth reading.
W.R.
The Postal
Office
have
already considered this controversy and have made up their mind to approve of Sir Rutherford Alcock and have so informed us. Under the Duke's directions I prepared two drafts,
which you will find annexed, agreeing
with the Foreign Office and gently
reminding Sir R Macdonnell that it is not the business of Colonial Governors
to pronounce Censures on Officers of another branch of the public service.
The drafts have returned
from the Duke, but (probably by accident)
without his approval.
The letters have not yet gone.
In the meantime has arrived this further despatch from Sir R Macdonnell showing the progress of
Sir R Alcock
in his disputes with
Sir R MacDonnell in
his capacity as Governor; but it is to be lamented that he gets into a state of warfare with everyone around him, with Generals and especially
with other persons in
authority, whether they are
amenable
or not
to his authority, and whether he is right in substance, surely his language is often unduly offensive. But his statement
ought of course to be properly
weighed, and as you are to be back on
Sunday,
I leave it
for your
examination.
It
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