Enclosure 2.
His Excellency the Governor to Major-General Commanding.
Copy.
No. 34
Sir,
Government House, Hongkong, 5th April, 1888.
Adverting to my letter No.31 of the 24th ultimo, and to previous correspondence, on the question of enlistment of Chinese for Defence purposes, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that, after full discussion, the Executive Council resolved as follows:-
"The Council are of opinion that, subject to the limit of the numbers indicated in His Excellency the Major-General's letter No.869 (Confidential) of the 27th February, and in the absence of the practicability of obtaining men of any other race, the experiment might be tried. The enlistment to take place upon the recruit satisfying that he is born in Hongkong".
I have &c.
(Signed) G. William Des Voeux, Governor.
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