Copy.
HONG KONG.
Government Civil Hospital,
30th June, 1905.
741
Dear Mr. Long,
I beg to apologise most profusely for troubling
such a busy person as yourself with a small private matter and still more so for doing what I am very reluctant to do, viz. endeavouring to obtain your influence on my behalf and I will try and be as brief
as possible.
I, as you may possibly remember married your
cousin Miss Penruddocke.
I am a medical man in the employ of this Government as Superintendent of this Hospital.
I have unfortunately been involved in some trouble and have been censured by the Governor and the
censure sent on to the Secretary of State for the
Colonies. The Governor's censure is of no moment, i .9., I would not have bothered you or anyone about it as no doubt theoretically I deserved a reprimand and quite expected one but the fact going home to the Secretary of State will bring a black mark against my name the only one I have ever had and will interfere both with
any chance of promotion or of increased pay I may have, if the Secretary of State confirms it.
-
My Assistant Dr.
The trouble is as follows:-
Laing suddenly gave way to drink. I saw him for a few minutes in this condition in the middle of the night
attending a case
-
which case recovered all right. I
thought