of Chinese, an officer specially appointed to look after the welfare of the Chinese. They consider that the appointment of a Consul would seriously interfere with the freedom, which they at present enjoy under the British flag, and that their trade would be subjected to an espionage which would hamper their mercantile undertakings and do serious damage to their business relations. They are afraid also that, instead of being under British rule only, they would be so in name, and that their real lord and master would be the Chinese Consul, who, though precautions might be taken to prevent his carrying out his own requirements in the Colony, would still be able to make matters so unpleasant for his countrymen when they return to China, or for their relations who reside on the mainland that they would be forced, without daring to complain, to yield to his demands which they seem to think would be of a very exacting nature. I entirely concur in the views of the Chinese. I feel certain that a Chinese Consul would become a centre of intrigue which would render our dealings with the native community in Hongkong a very difficult matter. Moreover, the Chinese community does not desire the appointment of a Consul, and they are the persons most concerned in this matter, I do not see why a Consul should be forced on them. As they themselves say, they would be under two masters.