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has been unable to secure candidates for appointment as
Water Police in Hong Kong.
I have &c
(Sd) T. Sercombe Smith
6.82
Sir,
Crown Agents to Colonial
Secretary,
Hong Kong
Downing Street,
14th June 1901.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter No.1037 of the 8th May inquiring why the Navy
Employment Agency were unable to secure candidates for
appointment as Water Police in Hong Kong.
I enclose
In reply I beg to extracts from our correspondence
on the subject.
On the 11th February The Secretary wrote us:-
"I much fear we shall not be able to get the men
"required for Hong Kong I advertised in Plymouth papers
"same time back and ever since have had notices up in
"The Sailors Homes at that port, Portsmouth, and
"Chatham.
Riley also has been down to Plymouth seeing
"what he can do but I fear with no effect.
"There seems to be a dislike amongst the younger
"men to go abroad as I have vacancies now for Australia
"and Nigeria as well as Hong Kong. Curiously enough
"I have had several answers re Nigeria."
On the 30th March he wrote to us:-
"Regret to say that despite all efforts in the
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