The Hongkong Telegraph.
HONGKONG, 27TH July, 1881.
We beg specially to direct the attention of our readers to the annexed letter, and editorial note, which appeared in last night's China Mail. They form a fitting sequel to our leader of yesterday. We condole with our contemporary on his humiliation, and regret exceedingly that the footnote appended to Captain Thomsett's letter is not characterised by better taste. All the quibbling in the world will not materially alter the fact that the China Mail maliciously published, what every sane person in the Colony knew to be, a slanderous falsehood affecting the Governor, and after a very uncomfortable afternoon, had to stultify himself in a fashion rather debasing to a self-styled honest, and independent journal.
Notwithstanding the slap in the face he receives from Captain Thomsett's direct contradiction, our contemporary sulkily begs the question, and actually has the impudent audacity to assert, in the face of the Harbour Master's letter, that without any great difficulty the passage pronounced to be "incorrect," could be shown to be a fair and reasonable statement. Treating the China Mail to the courtesy which in diplomatic, as well as in literary circles, is customary even between bitter opponents, would be like throwing pearls before swine. Captain Thomsett has publicly stated that the Mail's remarks are "incorrect," and he can safely enough vouch for the latter part of the particular passage referred to. We can speak for the rest, and repeat that our contemporary's statement is an atrocious falsehood, worthy of the contemptible coquin who wrote it.
To the Editor of the CHINA MAIL.”
July 26. Sir, I regret to see the following statement in your last evening's issue of the China Mail:-"His Excellency stands revealed as an Administrator who has stooped to publicly traduce the official character of his subordinate, and then to beseech from that ill-used gentleman, as a personal favour, escape from the natural consequences of his Acts."
As these remarks have reference to the action of H.E. the Governor towards myself, I think it right to inform you that they are incorrect.
I shall be obliged if you can publish this letter in the next issue of the China Mail.
Yours faithfully,
H. G. THOMSETT,
Harbour Master, &c.
[We accede with pleasure to the request made in the above communication. At the same time we cannot help thinking that it would have been far more satisfactory to the public, as well as better calculated to serve the purpose the writer seems to have in view, had Captain Thomsett pointed out the particular inaccuracies which he regrets to have seen in print. We distinctly stated that, "if what is now public talk comes at all near the truth," so and so was the case; and it seems to us that the public are entitled to something more than a mere general assertion that a certain passage quoted is "incorrect." Where and in what is it incorrect? Is it in some phrase, or in a certain turn of a sentence? or is the substance of the statement made entirely devoid of foundation? For the credit of the administration of this British Colony, we should be only too happy to state on authority that there is no truth in the allegation which we have stated is generally believed. Captain Thomsett's letter, however, fails to meet the case. We made no pretence to narrate what actually took place at the interview between His Excellency Governor Hennessy and Captain Thomsett, and it would be sufficient for us to show that the passage pronounced to be "incorrect" is a fair and reasonable statement. This could, we think, be done without any great difficulty. The very object of the interview must have been to obtain an informal promise from Captain Thomsett not to proceed with the action which he had requested permission officially to initiate. That, it seems, was obtained; and what we have consistently opposed in Governor Hennessy's administration for the last four years is this informal and unofficial mode of doing business. The great difficulty is, and always has been, to obtain from the present Governor...
C. O.
15775
REC9
REGO 5 SEP 31/
510