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anxieties which concentrated attention upon the north, and Hongkong did not escape its full share. Then I was months in the absence on leave. During the whole of our time Sir Henry Blake was acting Colonial Secretary, and necessarily much struck by the tact, energy, and ability of Mr. May, upon whom devolved much of the difficulties that time. I may say that he performed his duties in a manner which earned my highest appreciation and gave, I believe, the greatest satisfaction to the community.
The period in the history of the Colony was perhaps the most trying one; it witnessed the commencement of the trouble in north China and comprised the most important part of the history of the Boxer movement prior to the relief of the Legations; and it was during that time that, by your instruction, I despatched, in my dual capacity, a small force from the garrison of Hongkong to the relief of Peking. At that time the anxieties and responsibilities of civil administration were considerable.
The means at the disposal of the Admiral south of China was free from them. It was during the same time that a serious attempt was made to settle outstanding differences between the Colonial Government and the Military Authorities. The vexed questions of rights to certain lands had, I am aware, been before, and it may be said that those questions had never been approached with such mutual tact and good will. At that time I entertained strong hopes that an arrangement would be arrived at satisfactory to both sides, and that it would be unnecessary to call...