593
E
as a
Witness, and to have taken a prominent
part; and the Law Officers
were at the same
time asked their opinion as to the instructions
which should be given to Governor Kennedy
in
regard to the future official position of
the two consular officers concerned in the
duel.
The Law Officers reported in reply that both the Spanish Consul and the acting French Consul at Hongkong ought not to be allowed to continue
in their official positions, and that Governor Kennedy might be instructed that the proper steps would be taken to suspend the exequatur and authority
in
C
FO 11897
in these cases.
The case of
the Spanish Consul
is disposed of by
Lord Kimberley
being
the voluntary act of the Spanish Government in replacing him by M. Lavelle, an arrangement which has been notified to Lord Granville since the receipt of the Correspondence
under consideration; and as
regards the
French Acting Consul Mr. Charles de la
Forest, Lord Granville has considered it
a
preferable
course to make an
informal
representation to the French Embassy in
London as to the circumstances
of
the
duel and the part taken by M. de la Forest in the transaction, accompanied by an expression of opinion that it is
not desirable that he should be
retained