that dollars will be scarce,
but if you are hard pressed I would not refuse to sanction legalisation of gambling, which however should be done by Order in Council instead of proclamation. Report fully by post.
Also state whether $10 notes circulate in South China."
This telegram was answered by Sir W. Robinson's despatch of 5th September (10.16), that despatch which encloses two letters from the Chief Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, as to the scarcity of Mexican dollars in early part of July and August. He observes: "They are becoming plentiful now; all the same I think we should have a second coin to fall back upon, in the event of Mexican dollars being scarce, and at a heavy premium such as they ruled at from July to this date (10th August)." He wrote again on 4th September: "Mexican dollars are now plentiful...