H.K./3724/01 Hong Kong.
537
not only confirmed his promise that justice should be done, but intimated that he would not take upon himself the duty of deciding the amount of compensation without the assistance of experts and the advice of his Council.
13. That the promises of the Government made through Sir William Des Vœux, and upon which we relied, as we had a right to rely, withdrawing opposition to the compensation clause in the Ordinance, should be disregarded by an Acting Governor without explanation seems to us incredible and should be inquired into by His Majesty's advisers.
14. From any point of view, it will hardly be held that we ought to suffer because of our implicit reliance on the promises made by the representatives of the Crown.
15. That the justice promised has not been accorded is manifest in the fact that the Government, since the Award, offered to allow us to come into the Reclamation Scheme on the terms laid down in the Reclamation Ordinance, the acceptance of which offer would have given us a sum of money far in excess of the Award of $15,000, although short of the amount found due under the methods recognized by Governor Des Vœux and the Attorney General.
Mr. Howard will be in London soon after you receive this letter and will call upon you to answer any questions that may be thought essential for the further information of His Majesty's advisers.
We have the honour to be,
Your most obedient servants,
Matthew J.D. Stopford,
The Stoward.
DRAFT.
HONG KONG
30th September 1903
Sir,
[...]
Governor Sir H.A. Blake, G.C.M.G.
MINUTE.
Mr. Harding 21/10
Dr. Johnson 21
Mr. Antrobus.
Mr. Cox,
Mr. Lucas.
Mr. Graham.
22nd
Sir M. Ommanney.
Mr. Chamberlain.
Downing Street,
October 1903.
With reference to my despatch No. 262 of the 16th of July last, relative to a petition presented to His Majesty the King by Messrs. Stephens and Howard, I have the honour to forward copy of a letter dated September 5th addressed by them to the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
2. As you have already been informed, His Majesty was not pleased to give any directions with regard to the petition, and Messrs. Stephens and Howard were so informed.
3. Mr. Howard has, however, since on two occasions, in a personal interview with the Legal Assistant Under Secretary to this Department, represented that great injustice has been done.