16
0
124
3
to deprive me of the privilege enjoyed by my immediate predecessor in this Government - namely, of remitting a portion of my salary at the par of account i.e. 1/1⁄2? per dollar.
It would appear that all the circumstances of this case have not been laid before Your Lordship, doubtless through the inadvertence to which the Colonial Department plead guilty in the despatch now under review.
It will be seen that this "inadvertence" was of a chronic character, for it extended over the six years term of office of Sir John Pope Hennessy; though the attention of the Department was officially called to the subject on more than one occasion. Moreover, this "inadvertence" prevented me from being informed, when the Government of Hong Kong was offered to me, that it was intended to deprive me of a valuable privilege enjoyed.
See inter alia. Sir J. Pope Hennessy to Secretary of State No.63 of July 13, 1874, and Lord Carnarvon's reply No.115 of (23/87) September 17, 1877, in which the right of Sir J. Pope Hennessy to remit a portion of his salary on the usual terms was expressly recognized.
the word was not out...