Sir
+
201
LEGISLATIVE SOUCIL
to
NOZOMIAL
HOVERISTENT.
Hongkong, 1161. optember, 1998.
To have the honour 20 orclose for the informa
tion of his Pacelliney the Officer Administering the
Government various communications (six in all) received
by us from the lending Chine sce firms und trading guilds carrying on business in this Colony in reply to a letter
of enquiry addreɛned by one of us to them requesting
their opinion us to the aesirability of our Government
further permitting the establishment of a branch of the
Chinese Poreign duscous in this British dolony of Hong-
kong and the maintenance of quite a fleet of Chinese
revanue oruisers in British unbers.
Recently the mind of the ganerud public in this
Colony has been exeroland over the continued existonce
of the Chinese Custome out cruisers in British territory
and waters, The Purepsan section of the community mađa
their voice heard through the public prensand their Ch-m-
ber of Corseroa. The Chinese section, however, though
epparently entertaining an equally strong opinion durat
/ Bet uttar one syllable on account, doubtless, of their
habitual drand of the mandarina On the mainland.
Per
this rouALN i. n ̈ve deemed it to be our duty as their.
representatives to address a privute letter to them to
2sonrtain their trus viave and so oummunicate the same
#0 11.2. the Administrator. Before taking this 200P,
wo have waited for some dupa in the hope that pding Chinese merchants then solvse would address