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their leading men, influenced by this bribe, hesitat to oppose the measure. Will the British merchant of this Colony leave themselves open to the possib lity of having the same motive imputed to them?
The case will probably have to be referred to the decision of Her Majesty's Ministers by the usual cours of petition to the Secretary of State. At present the matter is in this very curious predicament. All Hoog kong knows that it is the intention of the govern ment to license gambling, and knows too, about the sum which is to accrue to the revenue thereby. But there is no official statement of these things to be found. The public is indebted for all it knows of ficially, to a letter drawn from the Governor by sin obscure missionaries. It may be desirable to awat the next meeting of the Council in hope of some more distinct utterance on the part of the govenment before taking further steps.
F. S. TURNER, 2.4.
D. B. MORRIS,
of Glasgow University.
587