This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[3598]
No. 1.
[January 31.]
C. O.
SECTION 4.
12550
REC
544
Sir R. Hart to Sir Edward Grey.~~(Received January 31.) REG_28 APR 10
Dear Sir Edward,
I HAD decided to go out to China and resume work by the second German mail in March, and was beginning my preparations to do so when, suddenly and unexpectedly. I was taken seriously ill on the 18th December (incipient or partial paralysis), and I have accordingly been forced to reconsider matters.
38, Cadogan Place, London, January 29, 1910.
The doctors will not allow me to return to China just now, and, in fact, it becomes a question whether I shall ever be able to do so. My final decision will not be taken till I hear from Peking, but in the meantime I must stay at home.
I am progressing favourably; it will, however, be weeks before I can move about freely out of doors as before, and my left side has been only slowly regaining its activity. It is distressing to be thus crippled, and I hate the idea of dropping out and stopping work, but, under the circumstances, I cannot resume duty for some considerable time to come-if ever.
I trust this unforeseen collapse will not have caused you any inconvenience.
Yours very truly,
[2605 hh---4]
ROBERT HART.
辈