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(5.) Let Hong Kong be put under a purely military government, as Gibraltar, to which it bears a closer resemblance than to any other British colony; politically it is of less, but commercially of far greater importance than Gibraltar; but the accidents of the two places have a certain similarity, and, under a military regime, the troops would be made locally useful, which now, as already shown, they are not.
(6.) But failing one and all of the above propositions, I have only to ask, and I beg Your Grace's attention to this very earnestly, that the present claim for a military contribution be postponed for a period not of one year, as now fixed, but of four or five years, by which time the financial condition of the colony will be more firmly established, its real future will be more accu- rately ascertained, and its wants, now calling imperatively for all its funds, will be satisfactorily and finally supplied.
34. I have only, in concluding, to request Your Grace to pardon me for thus venturing to question Your Grace's expressed resolution, but as the period of a year must yet elapse before that resolution be carried into effect, I am confident that the various reflections I now submit will receive all due con- sideration, and I shall be satisfied that if the colony be finally called upon for the contribution, it will have had the advantage of being heard, even though by so poor an advocate as myself, on a matter vitally important to its interests.
35. I fully understand that Your Grace's proposition is made in further- ance of a general scheme to be applied more or less to all the dependencies of Great Britain, but in placing before Your Grace the special circumstances of this dependency, I am encouraged by the words of Lord Palmerston himself, who is reported to have said in the House of Commons, on the 22nd July 1850, that it was a mistake to look at Hong Kong in the same light as other colonies," and further by the description given of the colony in the Colonial Office List, under the authority of which I infer that Hong Kong is not to be judged under the rules and conditions prescribed as applicable to colonies generally.
I have, &c.,
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
W. T. MERCER.
No. 6.
Copy of Despatch from the Acting Governor of Hong Kong to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.
(Separate.)
My Lord Duke,
Hong Kong,
31st December 1863.
With reference to my despatch (separate) of 2nd instant, I think it right to report that on the 24th instant I received from Sir Hercules Robinson, at Singapore, copy of the despatch in which he placed before Your Grace his views on the subject of the military contribution.
I was, therefore, at the date of my despatch, unaware of the contents of Sir Hercules Robinson's communication, and am anxious to prevent misappre- hension by putting the fact on record, as there seems to me a certain similarity in the manner in which both Sir Hercules Robinson and myself have treated the subject, more especially as to the two heads under which each has considered it.
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.,
&c.
&c., (366)
&c.,
I have, &c.,
W. T. MERCER.
I
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