I am in receipt of a separate despatch (par. 2). For the present, however, I think we may confine ourselves entirely to the new pavements of the gravel road. You will see (par. 5), and that when dragged into it, Mr. King expressed a wish that the Collector should at once drop the matter.
(Par. 6 refers to "Ruch" and Mr. Keswick's letter). It appears that Mr. King is leaving, has resigned the Consulate, and is (probably has left) Hong Kong for a more or less lengthy period. Apparently (par. 18) his letter was not for publication. And for our own record, we may with advantage abstain from making much comment on the matter.
Paragraphs 18, 16, and 20 to 25 of Mr. Keswick's letter are rather difficult to understand when read side by side.
1. As to the communication between the Governor and Mr. King, Mr. P. Hennessy and Mr. Keswick are at variance.
2. I can understand the Governor to mean that the Branding Office was the only one that actually settled the despatch; he cannot mean that Dr. Eitel was not present. On any view, Dr. Eitel was the virtual head of the "curia," and Mr. P. Hennessy's statement in par. 5 is, to say the least, a slight "divarication."
I reply that Lord Carnarvon has received this despatch with much regret. He observes that it was the King's wish that Mr. King should drop the matter, and that Mr. Keswick has left the Colony, having resigned the Consulate. His Lordship does not think that it would be of advantage to ...
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