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523 quarrel which had been fastened on the Superintendent of the Botanical Department from the moment of Mr. Trice's arrival in Hong Kong. Christin added that Mr. Trice's unreasoning dislike of Mr. Ford would necessitate the getting rid of one or other of them; and, on that ground, he urged Mr. Price's recommendation that the office of Superintendent should be abolished.
19. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, however, did not approve of Mr. Price's suggestion, and he transmitted for my guidance a memorandum of Sir Joseph Hooker recommending that I should not take the retrograde action suggested by Mr. Price, but that I should recur to the original plan and encourage Mr. Ford to enlarge the scope of his activity. In the memorandum, Sir Joseph Hooker also expresses his regret that the attempt to get rid of Mr. Ford should have been made during his absence.
20. All these papers having been laid before the Executive and Legislative Councils, Mr. Ford was restored to his original position, and this was done with the unanimous approval of every person who took any interest in the question in Hong Kong, except Mr. Price; but even he withdrew...