273
had interviews with him in which he has
been given opportunities of personally
explaining his views on the questions
connected with the Government of Hong
Kong, which he has taken a prominent
part in raising, and before going into 1
further detail I may say at once that
after hearing and weighing the argu-
ments which he advanced I can only re-
pcat what I have already said that "I
can hold out no hope that Hong Kong
will cease to be a Crown Colony*.
How far, without departing
from the cardinal principle thus stated,
the present constitution of Hong Kong
3.
can be modified with advantage has been
to me the subject of long and careful
consideration.
vrate to you in
August last I invited an expression of
your opinion on various points, but on
Some of them I have not receivéd a répy.