Dr. Exitel to Acting Colonial Secretary
Hongkong
17th December 1881.
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 2380 of the 15th instant, which is a reply to the two applications I made on the 6th and 14th instant respectively for an immediate inquiry into my conduct on the part of the Executive Council, and in which you inform me that Mr. Johnson has not thought fit to accept the offer made to him of dealing before the Executive Council with the charges made against me, but prefers to send the case now to the Secretary of State. I further beg to acknowledge receipt of a copy of Mr. Johnson's letter to you of 13th instant, and of his letter and enclosures addressed to the Secretary of State, which you transmit to me for such observations as I may think fit to make.
In reply to the first part of your letter, I venture to observe that Mr. Johnson's letters do not appear to me to bring any charge against...